OLYMPICS: Short Track Speed Skating: Ohno on track for history books

Vancouver (AFP) - Apolo Anton Ohno said Tuesday he will count on his experience and a "hometown advantage" to become the most decorated Olympic short-track speed skater in what could be his third and last Games. The 27-year-old American said he had "skated all around" in Vancouver when his father took him there from their home in the US city of Seattle just south of the border and used the sport to discipline him as a child. "I'm very comfortable here. I feel like this is a second home. There is a lot of similarities between Vancouver and Seattle," he said as the US team geared up for the first day of Olympic action on Saturday. "I want to podium. I want to win races. But, this being my third Olympics, I'm very happy with my performances up to this point," he added. "I'm in the best physical shape of my life." Since his 1,500-metre triumph on his debut in 2002 at Salt Lake City, Ohno has won two gold, one silver and two bronze Olympic medals. Five other short-trackers have picked up five Olympic medals each but are already retired. He can also replace long-track legend Bonnie Blair as the most medalled US winter Olympian if he skates away with two more in Vancouver. "Any time, anyone makes some reference to Eric Heiden and Bonnie Blair, I feel very humble to be mentioned in the same sentence," he said, adding that he was "very optimistic" about the prospect. "I have the killer instinct inside that I'll try to kind of just call back and then let it loose and see where I can end up," added Ohno, who will compete in four individual events and in the men's 5,000m relay in Vancouver. With his pop-star status following his media-hyped Olympic debut, he won the 500m gold in Torino four years ago. He also has nine world titles to his credit and is a bona-fide celebrity. In 2007, he won television's Dancing with the Stars title with Julianne Hough and was voted one of the US People magazine's 50 most beautiful people the same year. "I'm very, very happy that I was lucky enough to be the guy who helped bring the sport more exposure," he said. "I'm doing the sport purely because I still love it, because I still have the talent and I'm able to reach out and motivate some other people," Ohno said, adding that his body shape has improved each Olympic Games with more exercise. He weighed 165 pounds (75kg) in 2002, 155 (70) in 2006 and 145 (66) now with body fat down to 2.5 percent. Ohno, who won the Olympic titles against South Korean rivals, said he expected South Korea to remain dominant. "These Games will be no different." Asked if Vancouver could be his last Olympics, he replied: "Possibly." But he added: "I'm just taking it year-by-year. This is the Games I'm just focused in now. I can tell you I will definitely take a small break after these Games."

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