Category Archives: olympics

Apolo Ohno wins 7th Olympic medal

Apolo Ohno salvaged a bronze medal from a mistake in the men’s 1000m short-track speedskating final. No matter though, his performance earns him a spot in the record books. He’s the most decorated U.S. Winter Olympian with seven career medals. You can see the 1000m final here.

Here’s his list of Olympic medals:

2002 Salt Lake City – Gold 1500 m

2006 Turin – Gold 500 m

2002 Salt Lake City – Silver 1000 m

2010 Vancouver – Silver 1500 m

2006 Turin – Bronze 1000 m

2006 Turin – Bronze 5000 m relay

2010 Vancouver – Bronze 1000 m

Look for more Asian Americans at the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Apolo Ohno wins 7th Olympic medal

J.R. Celski for 24 Hour Fitness

Here’s J.R. Celski promoting for 24 Hour Fitness. After his accident, he had to rehab his legs. His remarkable recovery in a very short period of time has been inspiring to all of us. This video series shows part of his rehab process in his Olympic road to recovery. Congrat on getting the bronze in the 1500m short track speedskating competition.

Look for more Asian Americans during the 2010 Winter Olympics

J.R. Celski for 24 Hour Fitness

2010 Winter Olympics – Asian American edition

The 2010 Winter Olympics kicks off tonight. Here’s some of the Asian American athletes to keep a eye out for during the winter games in Vancouver:

Apolo Ohno – Speed Skating

Ohno is one of the most recognizable current American Winter Olympians and perhaps of all time, thanks in part to his trademark soul patch and, more importantly, to his Olympic pedigree. Ohno is expected to add to his stash of medals from the last two Olympic Winter Games (five total) as he leads a strong U.S. Short Track Team. He has won an Olympic medal in every distance and will again be a podium player throughout Vancouver. He is currently tied with Eric Heiden for the most career winter medals by a U.S. man. He needs to win one medal to tie and two medals to surpass Bonnie Blair to become the most decorated U.S. Winter Olympian in history.

Apolo Ohno

More Apolo Ohno

Mirai Nagasu – figure skating

Nagasu became the next star teen in American figure skating when she won the 2008 U.S. title at the age of 14. She became the second youngest woman to win the title (Tara Lipinski in 1997 is the youngest) and was too young to compete at the 2008 World Championships. Accommodating a four-inch growth spurt, Nagasu finished fifth at the 2009 U.S. Championships. Now that the U.S. women will only have two spots at the Winter Games for the first time since 1994, it may be even tougher to qualify. Still, at 16, she still has plenty of promise and may not have yet reached her peak.

Julie Chu – Women’s Hockey

Julie is the first player of Asian descent on the U.S. National Team. She’s nicknamed “Saint Chuey” because of her kind nature. On the ice, she a beast. Not only is she a two-time Olympian, but she also helped the Minnesota Whitecaps capture the Western Women’s Hockey League championship and was named the top role model at the Canadian Women’s Hockey Championship in 2008-09

Simon Cho – Speed Skating

Simon Cho, at 18, is the youngest member of the Olympic Team who actually gave up skating in January 2009 after a disappointing speedskating season. After thinking it through, Cho decided to skate at the 2010 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, but he had no idea he would make the team. At the trials, Cho won a 500m event, securing a spot on the team in Vancouver.

Cho started skating when he was 3 years old in Seoul, South Korea. After moving to the United States when he was 5, Cho continued skating at several clubs until connecting with Jimmy Jang (USS National Assistant Coach) who has coached Cho for nearly a decade.

Graham Watanabe – Men’s snowboardcross

A member of the U.S. Alpine snowboarding team in 2000, Graham Watanabe has a background in racing, but switched full-on to snowboardcross with the Olympic announcement. At the start of the 2005 season he jumped on the opportunity for a trip to Chile with friend Nate Galpin. The trip proved profitable when he boosted his World Cup career in a big way, winning the opening SBX event in Chile to become the first American man ever to win a World Cup SBX. He turned that into a solid season on the World Cup tour and an eventual ticket to the 2006 Olympic Winter Games.

Watanabe had the intimidation factor in 2009 as he pulled in successful results consistently. He had three World Cup top-10 finishes, but capped it off big time with a win in the USA to please the home crowd in Sunday River, Maine. Thanks to his success there as well as a second place at the first stop of the Visa Snowboardcross Championship Series at the U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix at Boreal Resort in Calif. The icing on Watanabe’s season: a silver medal at the winter X Games.

Callan Chythlook-Sifsof – Women’s snowboardcross

Raised in Bristol Bay, way out into what Alaskans call the ‘bush’ – some 400 air miles from Anchorage and accessible only by air or boat, Callan Chythlook-Sifsof is a Yupik/Inupiaq Eskimo, who after earning a spot on the U.S. C Team in ’06, jumped directly to the A Team in ’07 after winning the Visa U.S. Snowboardcross Championships and taking third in the first World Cup of her career.

After a huge progression during the 2008 season, Chythlook-Sifsof had to take a seat during 2009 when she was injured at the first World Cup of the season. But, with a year to build herself back up, Chythlook-Sifsof is looking strong and poised to be one of the tough competitors on the World Cup SBX circuit.

J.R. Celski – Short track speedskating

Many are making Celski out to be the next Apolo Anton Ohno, and the 18-year-old prodigy certainly lived up to even the highest expectations at the 2009 World Championships by winning five medals. Celski has quickly developed into a strong all-around skater as a teenager. Celski could give the U.S. Short Track Team a true medal contender in multiple distances at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

thanks to Kate A. for pointing us to J.R. Celski

Updated:

Amanda Evora – pairs figure skating

Evora discovered her sister’s ice skates and since they fit, decided to give them a try. When she was 18, she left her family’s home in Texas to further her skating career. She is partners with Mark Ladwig in pairs figure skating. They study Cirque du Soleil and roller skating videos for inspiration. Evora is also studying business administration at the University of South Florida.

Bryan Clay on a Wheaties Box

Clay becomes third decathlon champion in a row to ‘Eat his Wheaties’

HAPA Bryan Clay became the first American since Dan O’Brien in 1996 to win gold in the decathlon, earning the distinction of “World’s Greatest Athlete.” The half African-American, half Japanese-American Clay took silver in Athens in 2004 and was World Champion in 2005. He led the decathlon competition from the start, taking first or second in five of the 10 events and third in two others. A native of Honolulu and current Los Angeles resident, Clay joins fellow decathlon gold medalists O’Brien, Jim Thorpe and Bruce Jenner as Wheaties champions.

“Having your picture on the Wheaties box is something all athletes strive for,” Clay says. “It’s a mark of distinction that says you’ve reached the pinnacle of your career. This is a very special honor for me.”

Decathlon demands excellence in a variety of sports, which requires a strenuous training program. “Training is difficult,” says Clay. “Eating right helps give you the edge, to withstand extensive workouts, provide quick muscle recovery and guard against injury.”

Clay also credits his strong support system for helping him achieve all his success. He recalls running with his brother in the sixth grade and speculating together on whether they’d ever be good enough to earn a spot on the Wheaties box.

“Bryan’s performance in Beijing is certainly worthy of the Wheaties box,” Jenner says. “He’s a great athlete and competitor. I’m proud to welcome both Bryan and Nastia into the ‘Breakfast of Champions’ family.”

Bryan Clay talks about being on a Wheaties Box

214 Million Viewers watched the 2008 Beijing Olympics

NBC Universal’s Beijing Olympic coverage was viewed by more Americans than any event in U.S. television history, according to data provided by Nielsen Media Research. NBCU’s coverage reached 214 million total viewers, shattering the previous mark set by the 1996 Atlanta Olympics (209M) by five million viewers and surpassing the 2004 Athens Games (203M) by 11 million viewers. The Beijing Games averaged 27.7 million viewers and scored a 17-day rating of 16.2/28 to post significant gains over the 2004 Athens Games. Sunday night’s Closing Ceremony had the best rating for any Summer Olympics Closing Ceremony outside the U.S. since the 1976 Montreal Games.

MOST VIEWED EVENTS IN U.S. TV HISTORY:

1. 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, 214 million (17 days)

2. 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics, 209 million (17 days)

3. 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympics, 204 million (16 days)

4. 2004 Athens Summer Olympics, 203 million (17 days)

5. 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics, 194 million (17 days)

VIEWERS AND RATING BOTH UP SIGNIFICANTLY FROM ATHENS:

· The Beijing Olympics 17-day average primetime viewership is 27.7 million, the best primetime average viewership for a complete Summer Olympics outside the U.S since Montreal in 1976, and 13 percent ahead of Athens in 2004 (24.6 million).

· NBC’s average of a 16.2 rating, 28 share is the best rating for a Summer Olympics outside the U.S. since Barcelona in 1992 (17.1/33) and is an eight percent increase over Athens in 2004 (15.0/26).

. With the Beijing Olympics, NBC became the most dominant network in primetime for 17 consecutive nights since the advent of Nielsen People Meters in 1987. On each of its 17 nights of Beijing Olympic coverage, NBC enjoyed a 244 percent or greater lead over the nearest broadcast network in the adult 18 to 49 demographic (important to advertisers), a 225 or greater percent gain in viewers (persons 2+), and 200 or larger percent in household rating.

. NBC also set records in Nielsen People Meter history for biggest margins over the combined major-network competition for three consecutive weeks, with wins of 24 percent or more over ABC, CBS and Fox combined for three straight weeks in 18-49 and 23 percent or more in total viewers.

OLYMPICS IN PRIMETIME DOMINATE COMPETITION:
· In primetime, NBC’s Beijing Games won all 100-rated half-hours against its entire network competition.

CLOSING CEREMONY BEST NON U.S. SUMMER RATING SINCE 1976:

· Sunday’s Closing Ceremony garnered 27.8 million average viewers, a 42 percent gain from the Closing Ceremony night in Athens (19.6 million). The night earned a 15.5 rating/25 share, a 30 percent increase from Athens (11.9/20). In both categories, the Closing Ceremony from Beijing was the best delivery for a Summer Olympics Closing Ceremony outside the U.S. since Montreal in 1976.

NBC Universal’s 3,600 hours of Beijing Olympic coverage not only fueled record-breaking Olympic viewership, but also cast an Olympic “halo” across the many different divisions of NBC Universal. The unprecedented Olympic coverage drove record numbers of viewers to NBCU’s cable networks; it also produced impressive gains in viewership and competitive advantage for NBC News’ “Today,” “NBC Nightly News,” and NBC’s affiliated stations.

NBCOLYMPICS.COM ON MSN POSTS RECORD NUMBERS: For the complete Beijing Games, NBCOlympics.com has more than doubled the combined totals for the Athens and Torino Games in page views and unique users, while increasing videos streamed by more than seven times.

· VIDEO STREAMS: 75.5 million for Beijing, 10.8 million for Athens and Torino Games combined (+601%)

· UNIQUE USERS: 51.9 million for Beijing, 25.2 million for Athens and Torino Games combined (+106%)

· PAGE VIEWS: 1.24 billion for Beijing, 561.1 million for Athens and Torino Games combined (+122%)

· HOUR OF VIDEO STREAMED: 9.9 million hours of video consumed through for Beijing Games is the equivalent of 1,126 years of video.

TOP 10 METERED MARKETS FOR BEIJING GAMES IN PRIMETIME:

T1. Denver 23.1/40

T1. Salt Lake City 23.1/45

3. Minneapolis 22.1/41

T4. Indianapolis 21.3/37

T4. San Diego 21.3/39

T6. Baltimore 21.1/35

T6. Oklahoma City 21.1/33

8. Nashville 21.0/33

9. Columbus, Ohio 20.4/35

10. Portland, Ore. 20.2/41

2008 Beijing Olympics Closing Ceremony ratings

NBC Universal’s Beijing Olympic coverage averaged 27.7 million viewers and scored a 17-day rating of 16.2/28 to post significant gains over the 2004 Athens Games. Last night’s Closing Ceremony had the best rating for any Summer Olympics Closing Ceremony outside the U.S. since the 1976 Montreal Games.

MOST VIEWED EVENTS IN U.S. TV HISTORY:

1. 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, 211* million (16 days)

2. 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics, 209 million (17 days)

3. 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympics, 204 million (16 days)

4. 2004 Athens Summer Olympics, 203 million (17 days)

5. 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics, 194 million (17 days)

*Total viewers not available yet.

Sunday’s Closing Ceremony garnered 27.2 million average viewers, a 39 percent gain from the Closing Ceremony night in Athens (19.6 million). The night earned a 15.2 rating/24 share, a 28 percent increase from Athens (11.9/20). In both categories, the Closing Ceremony from Beijing was the best delivery for a Summer Olympics Closing Ceremony outside the U.S. since Montreal in 1976.

Highlights from 2008 Beijing Olympics Closing Ceremony