KPLU Local News
(2009-11-18)
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Olympic speed skater Apolo Ohno admires his likeness on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737.
Tom Banse photo
Full story
Olympic gold medalist Apolo Ohno arrived at the Seattle airport terminal on a Boeing jet newly painted with his likeness, larger than life. Alaska Airlines inked a deal to sponsor the speed skater for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. So there's a racing Apolo in skintight suit wrapped around the fuselage. Speaking on the tarmac, the real Apolo said it is "surreal" to see himself on a flying billboard.
Apolo Ohno: "I don't think you've ever seen a speed skater on the side of an airplane. So it's pretty amazing."
The skater's image will stay on the jet until the Winter Games open on February 12th. Those will be Ohno's third Olympics and likely his last.
Apolo Ohno: "I am coming full circle in my career. You know, I grew up in Seattle. I learned how to skate in Vancouver, BC. If the Games weren't in Vancouver, I'm not sure I would have decided to keep skating. It feels good, very good."
Ohno is probably the most famous of possibly a dozen or more Northwest athletes headed to the Winter Olympics.
Flashbulbs popped and girls swooned when the 27-year-old strode into the terminal. Ohno did a double take at all the people wearing stick-on chin hair copying his signature "soul patch." Alaska Airlines passed out the fuzz as well as complementary blue bandanas. 12-year-old Dakota O'Day and 14-year-old Bree Fealy put on both. They compete on an inline skate team near Seattle.
Bree Fealy: "I love Apolo Ohno. He's just like really inspiring. So it was just the best day ever."
Dakota O'Day: "Yeah, I think it would be fun to try ice."
Ohno says "it's great to come back home and feel local support." Until last weekend, he was traveling the globe on the World Cup race tour. From now on, he retreats to the U-S Olympic center in Salt Lake City to train uninterrupted until February. I'm Tom Banse in SeaTac, Washington. © Copyright 2012, N3
