15 greatest Olympians to appear on a Wheaties box

10. Apolo Anton Ohno, Speed Skating

Apolo Anton Ohno became the unquestioned superstar in short track speed skating at the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City, a title he held until his transition from the skating rink to the broadcast booth for Sochi 2014.

His arrival at the global stage took place in 1999, when the Seattle, Wash. native took home gold at the World Junior Championships in Montreal one year removed from finishing dead last at the 1998 Olympic Trials. He went on to capture the first two of eight career World Championship gold medals in Jeonju, South Korea in 2001.

The next test for this rising star was to compete on the sport’s biggest stage in Salt Lake City. Ohno competed in four events; the individual 500, 1,000 and 1,500 meters, and the 5,000 meters relay.

He failed to place in the 500 or the 5,000 relay, but would redeem himself before the games were over. He earned silver in the 1,000 and — with the help of a controversial finish — was able to capture gold in the 1,500.

By the time the 2002 games were over, Ohno had already become one of the most popular athletes the sport had seen in recent memory. He would go on win another gold at Turin 2006, a silver at Vancouver 2010 and a total of four bronzes between the two games.

His total medal count of eight makes him the most decorated American short track speedskater in Olympic history.

Ohno appeared on the Wheaties cereal box after winning what turned out to be his final Olympic gold medal at the 2006 Winter Games.

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