Ohno getting up to speed on Olympics role

NBC has pulled together a small army of 89 commentators who will help provide more than 2,400 hours of coverage of the XXIII Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea, on NBC, NBCSN, CNBC, USA Network, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA, the NBC Sports app and NBCOlympics.com.

The roster of commentators includes Olympians who have won a combined 46 Olympic medals.

Among the past Olympians on the broadcast team is eight-time U.S. Olympic short track speed skating medalist Apolo Ohno. His last Olympics as a competitor was in 2010 in Vancouver, B.C., where he took home a silver medal in men’s 1500m plus bronze medals in men’s 1000m and men’s 5000m relay.

If NBC had not hired him, Ohno still would have kept a close eye on what happens this year.

“Speed skating has given me so much and I’m glad to still be connected with the Games. I love the sport of short track speed skating and would have watched religiously watched all of the competitions,” Ohno says. “Being on the other side of the lens is kind of fun and interesting.

“It also gives me a chance to talk about things that we didn’t hear talked about us when I was competing.”

Ohno sees his job as being the person to deliver an enthusiasm and passion for the sport while also presenting technical knowledge. The other elements he will examine have to do with the personal stories of the competitors.

“No matter what sport it is, everyone has kind of their own trials and tribulations they’ve gone through. Some kind of sacrifice along the way that is more than just that one specific athlete,” Ohno says. “And with the global world being so connected, I have access to all these different athletes and their stories about why they’re competing, what they’re doing, and what their real hopes and dreams are.”