The USA’s most-decorated Winter Olympian, Apolo Ohno, discusses his role as a member of the LA28 Athletes’ Commission, the transition from competing to his current career, and advice for athletes going through similar changes.
Apolo Ohno forged a historic career in short-track speed skating for the USA, winning eight Olympic medals, including golds at Salt Lake 2002 and Turin 2006, to become his country’s most-decorated athlete at the Winter Games.
He has since gone on to enjoy a successful career in media, business and motivational speaking.
Now, Apolo is helping to shape the future of the Olympic Games as a member of the LA28 Athletes’ Commission (AC). He is one of nine Olympians and nine Paralympians offering their insight to create a memorable experience for those competing in the USA.
With Milano Cortina 2026 fast approaching, we sat down with Apolo to look even further ahead to LA, and the lessons he learned during his career transition.
LA28 will be a monumental event, not only for the Summer Games, but for the Olympic Movement generally.
The Olympic Games are more than what people watch. They impact communities for decades after.
Athlete ambassadors like me are constantly giving input and supporting initiatives which will contribute to the impact that this event will have on Los Angeles.
LA28 is also an opportunity to showcase the best of what the city has to offer, such as culture, history and art.
I’m honoured to support the event and potentially help evolve the future of the Olympic Movement.
A tough transition
Transitioning from competitive sport into business was tough. There was a lot of failure and self-doubt, but those challenges were necessary.
Going from competing, which defines athletes, to a new career is difficult because learning new skills takes time.
But that Olympic resilience reminds us that we can do this. It's a new arena, but you’ve done this before.
Find something you love
While your purpose and identity might change over the years, it’s important to identify your core values.
Align your objectives, whether that’s faith, family or financial dreams. What goals will truly fulfil you?
Make sure you’re doing something that you truly care about, not for other people, but because it interests you. That’s where success comes.
It’s very hard to beat someone who loves playing the game. When I was skating, there were times when I felt like a child just playing on the ice. As you grow up, maintaining that sense of play is critical.
Growing into a new career
Don’t be afraid to ask for guidance. You don’t need to figure it all out on your own and the more mentorship you have, the faster you’ll grow.
Utilise your Olympic attributes of perseverance, focus and dedication, which will help you move forward.
Say yes to opportunities, but don’t be afraid to say no if something doesn’t fit with your main goals.
Finally, there are resources that can help you when you feel stuck. There are various people you can talk to, and athletes have shared their stories when they have faced similar challenges, so know that you are not alone.
Athletes have all the attributes that any organisation would want. The next step is about acquiring skills, which is part of the process.
When you’re moving from one identity to the next, don’t lose sight of what made you great. It’s not the title – it’s your behaviour.
For advice on your own career transition, check out Athlete365 Career+
