Apolo wins at last!

U.S. speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno won the gold medal in the 500m, his first gold of the games! After two false starts, Apolo skated a clean race, leading from start to finish. His arch rival, Korean Any Hyun-Soo, finished third, having been shut out by two Canadian skaters who finished second and fourth.

Apolo barely made it to the final of the 500m. He was in the same semifinal heat as Chinese skater Li Jiajun, with whom he had collided in the 1500m. Apolo was in second place behind Jiajun when he tried to pass him, exactly what he had been trying to do when he fell in the 1500m. Jiajun put out his arm, whacking Apolo and sending them both careening out. With one lap to go, Apolo was last out of the field of four, and Jiajun was third. Jiajun quickly passed the British skater, who was in second place. Near the finish line, as the British skater seemed to be picking up speed, Jiajun cut him off. At that moment, Apolo zoomed past the British skater and stuck his foot out, trying to cross the finish line before Jiajun. In a photo finish, it was determined that Jiajun's foot had crossed the line before Apolo's, but then Jiajun was disqualified for impeding the British skater! Apolo and the Canadian skater, who had finished first, qualified for the final.

Later, Apolo and the U.S. short track relay team won a bronze medal, increasing Apolo's medal count to three for this Olympics, and five for his Olympic career. Congratulations to Apolo! He certainly deserves to be considered among America's greatest athletes.