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Apolo Ohno
Apolo Anton Ohno (/əˈpɒloʊ ˈæntɒn ˈoʊnoʊ/; born May 22, 1982) is an American short track speed skating competitor and an eight-time medalist (two gold, two silver, four bronze) in the Winter Olympics. He is the most decorated American Winter Olympic athlete of all time.
Raised by his father, Ohno began training full-time in 1996. He has been the face of short track in the United States since winning his medals at the 2002 Winter Olympics.[ At the age of 14, he became the youngest U.S. national champion in 1997 and was the reigning champion from 2001–2009, winning the title a total of 12 times. In December 1999, he became the youngest skater to win a World Cup event title, and became the first American to win a World Cup overall title in 2001, which he won again in 2003 and 2005. He won his first overall World Championship title at the 2008 championships.
During the 2002 Winter Olympics, there were two controversies associated with Ohno. The first was whether or not he intentionally finished third in a qualification race during the U.S. Olympic Trials to allow Shani Davis to make the team. The second occurred when he won the gold medal in the 1500 m race after the disqualification of the first skater to cross the finish line, South Korean Kim Dong-Sung, for blocking Ohno. The disqualification upset South Korean supporters and had a lingering negative effect on Ohno's reputation in South Korea.
Ohno's accolades and accomplishments include being the United States Olympic Committee's Male Athlete of the Month in October 2003 and March 2008, the U.S. Speedskating's Athlete of the Year for 2003, and was a 2002, 2003 and 2006 finalist for the Sullivan Award, which recognizes the best amateur athlete in the United States. Since gaining recognition through his sport, Ohno has worked as a motivational speaker, philanthropist, started a nutritional supplement business called 8 Zone, and in 2007, competed on and won the reality TV show Dancing with the Stars. Ohno is currently the host of the new edition of Minute to Win It on GSN and will be the commentator for NBC's coverage of the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi.
Jon Jones
Jonathan Dwight "Jon" Jones (born July 19, 1987), is an American mixed martial artist currently signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship where he is the current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. When he won the title in March 2011, he became the youngest champion in UFC history. As of December 2012, he was ranked as the #1 light heavyweight fighter in the world by various media outlets. He was also ranked the #1 pound for pound fighter in the world by multiple publications
José Reyes
José Bernabé Reyes (born June 11, 1983) is a Dominican professional baseball shortstop for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the New York Mets and Miami Marlins.
Reyes is a four-time MLB All-Star. He led MLB in triples in 2005, 2006, 2008, and 2011. Reyes also led the National League (NL) in stolen bases in 2005, 2006, and 2007. He was the NL batting champion in 2011. He is also the New York Mets' all-time leader in triples and stolen bases.
Ryan Kesler
Ryan James Kesler (born August 31, 1984) is an American professional ice hockey center for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He serves as an alternate captain for the Canucks during home games. Selected in the first round, 23rd overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, Kesler has spent his entire ten-year NHL career with the Canucks. He is best known for being a two-way forward, winning the Selke Trophy in 2011 after having finished as a finalist the previous two years, as well as for his agitating style of play.
Kesler played junior hockey with the U.S. National Team Development Program from which he then accepted a scholarship to play college hockey with the Ohio State Buckeyes of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA). In one season with the Buckeyes, he was an honorable mention for the CCHA All-Rookie Team and was named CCHA Rookie of the Week three times and CCHA Rookie of the Month once. In addition to the U.S. National Team Development Program and the Ohio State Buckeyes, Kesler has also suited up for the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League (AHL), where he was named to the 2005 AHL All-Star Game.
Kesler has represented the United States at five International Ice Hockey Federation-sanctioned events, winning one World U18 Championship gold medal, one World Junior Championships gold medal, and the 2010 Winter Olympics silver medal. He also participated in the 2001 World U-17 Hockey Challenge where he won a gold medal.
Ryan Hall
Ryan Hall (born October 14, 1982 in Kirkland, Washington) is an American long distance runner. He won the marathon at the 2008 United States Olympic Trials and placed tenth in the Olympic marathon in Beijing. He holds the U.S. record in the half marathon (59:43). With his half marathon record time, he became the first U.S. runner to break the one hour barrier in the event.
Blake Griffin
Blake Austin Griffin (born March 16, 1989) is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Griffin had a renowned high school career at Oklahoma Christian School, winning state titles each of his four years under his father, Tommy Griffin, who was the head coach. He played college basketball for the University of Oklahoma Sooners and received numerous accolades in his second year, including the Naismith College Player of the Year, Oscar Robertson Trophy and the John Wooden Award.
Griffin left college after two seasons to enter the 2009 NBA Draft; he was selected first overall by the Clippers. In his first season, he broke his left kneecap during the final pre-season game, had surgery, and missed the entire 2009–10 season. He made his NBA debut as a rookie the following season, in which he was selected as an All-Star, won the 2011 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, and was named the NBA Rookie of the Year. In 2011, Sports Illustrated called him one of the NBA's 15 Greatest Rookies of All Time.
Jeremy Campbell
Jeremy Campbell is a Paralympic athlete from the United States competing mainly in category P44 pentathlon events.
He competed at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, China. There he won a gold medal and set a world record in the men's Pentathlon - P44 event, won a gold medal in the men's Discus throw - F44 event, and finished fourth in the men's Long Jump - F42/44 event.
He is a brother of National Football League player and Army alumnus Caleb Campbell.
Hélio Castroneves
Hélio Castroneves (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈɛlju ˈkastɾu ˈnɛvis]; born Hélio Castro Neves; May 10, 1975) is a Brazilian auto racing driver currently competing in the North American IndyCar Series. In IndyCar competition, Castroneves has 22 wins and 33 poles, and has never placed lower than sixth in the standings in a complete season of racing until 2011, where he placed eleventh. Prior to IndyCar, Castroneves competed in the CART championship with a highest championship points finish of fourth.
Castroneves won the Indianapolis 500 in 2001, 2002 and 2009, making him one of only nine total drivers, and one of only two active drivers (Dario Franchitti being the other) to have won at least three. He finished second to teammate and countryman Gil de Ferran in 2003. Castroneves has won four pole positions for the Indy 500, including back-to-back poles in 2009 and 2010 for the first time since Scott Brayton. He is also one of only five drivers, (Wilbur Shaw, Mauri Rose, Bill Vukovich, and Al Unser Sr. being the other four), and the only active driver to win the Indy 500 in back-to-back races.
Steven Jackson
Steven Jackson (born May 11, 1984 in Columbia, South Carolina) is an American football fullback who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at Clemson.
Jackson has also been a member of the Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs.
Sergio Martínez
Sergio Gabriel Martínez (born 21 February 1975) is an Argentine professional boxer. He is the current Lineal, The Ring, and WBC middleweight champion.
Martinez was previously in the light-middleweight division, where he held the WBC light-middleweight title (Interim then elevated to full status champion), as well as the WBC Latino title. Also, he has competed in the welterweight division, where he held the WBO Latino title.
Martínez is currently rated as the number five pound for pound best boxer in the world by most sporting news and boxing websites, including Sports Illustrated, ESPN and Yahoo! Sports. He is rated as the no.4 pound for pound boxer in the world by The Ring.In 2010 he received The Ring and BWAA "Fighter of the Year" and The Ring "Knockout of the Year" awards, resp. Martinez holds notable victories over former world champions Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams, Sergiy Dzinziruk and Julio César Chávez, Jr..
Louie Vito
Louis "Louie" Vito (born March 20, 1988[1]) is an American professional snowboarder. He is an Olympian, and Winter X Games and U.S. Grand Prix Champion.
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