He's been hanging in Hollywood circles with the likes of actress Halle Berry and singer Lionel Richie, bouncing from coast to coast doing appearances and endorsements and obliterating the field in Sport Illustrated for Women's online poll seeking the summer's sexiest male athlete.
Yet Apolo Anton Ohno is happy to have returned to Salt Lake City, site of the 2002 Winter Olympics where the U.S. speedskater claimed gold and silver medals.
"I haven't been training all that hard because I've been doing so many appearances, events and just traveling around," said the 20-year-old Ohno after Thursday morning's practice at the Utah Olympic Oval. "But as soon as I came here, I was just kind of feeling better. . . . This whole area I just get energy from, so that feels good."
And Utah should feel good to Ohno — and familiar. He has skated in several World Cups at The Peaks in Provo, setting world and American records. He won his 1,500 meter gold and the 1,000 meter silver at the Delta Center. He's training this week at the Oval. And next February, he'll return for a World Cup that could end up at the E Center.
With as much as Ohno gets around the state, it's surprising he's not on some poster for the Utah Travel Council.
Even in training, he looks the part — the effervescent skater with flowing locks and signature soul patch, sporting a cherry-red helmet and glittery-silver skates.
Both Ohno and his NASCAR-like sport of head-to-head skating earned all sorts of attention six months ago during the Salt Lake Olympics.
"It was an incredible boost — all the best athletes coming together for the pinnacle of competition," Ohno said. "And then having the U.S. perform like we did, especially in short track. . . . And for me as a person, I felt like I competed to my best ability, and I'm pretty happy about that."
Even despite the hype of a Nike spotlight and pressure from those predicting at least three medals for the Seattle teen?
"That's a good thing," said Ohno. "You've definitely got to set high standards for yourself. But at the same time, I've got to be realistic. In short-track and the way the sport is, you can be the best guy in the world and you still can't win a race. That's just how our sport is."
The 2002 Games proved that.
In the men's 1,000-meter, Ohno was among a five-man fall at the finish line, with Australian Steven Bradbury coming from worst to first to win. Despite slicing his leg in the tumble, Ohno scrambled to push a skate over the line for his silver.
And in the 1,500, Ohno withstood a jostle from leader Dong-Sung Kim of Korea — later disqualified — to win the gold.
"With everything happening to me — falling and getting cut — I just thought I performed so well," he said. "So no disappointments for me. I walk away happy from every race."
With an eye on the 2006 Torino Olympics, Ohno plans a return to Utah for World Cup competition in February, the one-year anniversary of the 2002 Games.
"In short track, there are always guys who are competing for that top level," Ohno said. "For them, they don't always have an Olympics. These guys, they can be there for one year and then we never see them again.
"For me, I've got to stay consistent for the next four years."
E-MAIL: taylor@desnews.com