SENATE RESOLUTION

8761

By Senators Eide, Keiser, Benton, Brown, Carlson, Costa, Deccio, Fairley, Finkbeiner, Franklin, Fraser, Gardner, Hale, Hargrove, Haugen, Hewitt, Hochstatter, Honeyford, Horn, Jacobsen, Johnson, Kastama, Kline, Kohl-Welles, Long, McAuliffe, McCaslin, McDonald, Morton, Oke, Parlette, Poulsen, Prentice, Rasmussen, Regala, Roach, Rossi, Sheahan Sheldon, B., Sheldon, T., Shin, Snyder, Spanel, Stevens, Swecker, Thibaudeau, West, Winsley and Zarelli

            WHEREAS, U.S. Olympic Speed Skater Apolo Anton Ohno won the Gold Medal in the Men’s 1,500 meter Short Track Speed Skating and the Silver Medal in the 500 Meter Short Track Speed Skating during the 2002 Winter Olympics; and

            WHEREAS, Apolo Ohno’s path winds through Federal Way where he grew up in the Colonial Forest neighborhood. At the age of six, he started skating at Pattison’s West Skating Center and was soon racing as an in-line skater. By the time he was in his early teens, he crossed over to speed skating and was winning at the national level; and

            WHEREAS, He attended Nautilus Elementary School as a student in the Gifted and Talented Education program. Ohno attended Saghalie Junior High for the seventh grade and was in the honors program. He also attended the Federal Way Internet Academy; and

            WHEREAS, Neighbors described Ohno as a private, courteous and polite young man. Others said he always had a flair, a little on the edge or that he was real competitive and real driven; and

            WHEREAS, Apolo Ohno left Federal Way at age fourteen to attend the Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid, New York; and

            WHEREAS, Sports Illustrated featured Ohno on the cover of the February 4, 2002, magazine calling him faster on ice than a penguin with a rocket strapped to its back but he takes the corners better;

            NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the members of the Washington State Senate honor and celebrate the Olympic achievements of Apolo Anton Ohno whose dedication, professionalism, and athletic excellence have made Washington and America proud.

I, Tony M. Cook, Secretary of the Senate,

do hereby certify that this is a true and

correct copy of Senate Resolution 8761,

adopted by the Senate March 14, 2002.

TONY M. COOK

Secretary of the Senate