Olympic star Ohno opts out of World Championships

MILWAUKEE (AP) _ Gold medalist Apolo Anton Ohno is skipping the world short-track speedskating championships over the next two weekends, saying he's out of shape after a whirl of post-Olympic TV and

Wednesday, March 27th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

MILWAUKEE (AP) _ Gold medalist Apolo Anton Ohno is skipping the world short-track speedskating championships over the next two weekends, saying he's out of shape after a whirl of post-Olympic TV and promotional appearances.

In a release by his agents at IMG, Ohno said he was disappointed to miss the World Short Track Team Championships this weekend in Milwaukee and the World Short Track Championships next weekend in Montreal.

``But I've been so busy traveling since the Olympics that I don't feel physically prepared for this competition,'' Ohno said. ``And, after training and focusing so hard for the last four years, I needed a break.''

Since the Olympics, Ohno has made the national talk-show circuit and participated in numerous corporate and promotional appearances, including the Oscars.

The 19-year-old Ohno thrust the sport of short-track into the global spotlight at the Olympics, where he won a gold medal in the men's 1,500 short-track speedskating race on a judge's decision.

But his silver in the 1,000 created one of the Winter Games' defining moments when Ohno _ down and bleeding after a chain-reaction crash near the end of the course _ crawled and flung one leg over the finish line.