From Deseret News archives:

Speedskater moving to Utah

Published: Friday, March 30, 2007 9:31 a.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
Look for Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. on next Monday's episode of "Dancing With the Stars."

No, Huntsman won't be doing the cha cha cha on the popular television series that airs on the ABC network. But he will appear in a segment profiling one of the dancing couples, Olympic speedskater Apolo Anton Ohno and Julianne Hough, a professional performer from Sandy.

The contestants visited the governor's office Thursday to tape a portion of the segment that included a press conference called to announce that Ohno is relocating to Utah with the rest of the Olympic speedskating team.

"I want everybody to meet our newest Utahn," a smiling Huntsman said, even though the soul-patch wearing, gold-medal winning star of the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City won't actually call the state home until sometime later this year.

"I'm excited to move. It's a bit of a change for me, but it'll be a good change," Ohno said to a group of local reporters and a crew from the Los Angeles-based live reality TV series that lets viewers as well as a panel of judges vote for their favorites.

Story continues below
Although Ohno said home now is Colorado Springs with the rest of the team, he's been in Los Angeles for some time preparing for the show that began airing on March 19 and will continue until all but one pair of dancers have been eliminated from the competition.

Ohno said he hasn't decided yet where he wants to live in Utah but is looking at a number of places, including Park City. He'll train for the 2010 U.S. short-track speedskating team at the Utah Olympic Oval in Kearns, probably starting in June.

While he's collected plenty of awards skating, Ohno didn't get the best reviews from his 18-year-old dance partner. "He's an athlete so he's quick on his feet," Hough said, quickly agreeing when Ohno said he's really not a dancer.

Laughing, Ohno said there are differences. "With short-track speedskating, I'm hunched over ... relaxed. I don't have any facial expression. I'm in the zone." Earlier Thursday, he gave Hough a chance to try speed-skating at the Kearns oval in front of the series' camera crew.

She said it was hard for her just to stand upright on the skates. "My ankles were going like this," Hough said, bending her hands outward. Ohno offered that "she did pretty well, considering. She doesn't have to compete in four days."

The segment on Ohno and Hough is scheduled to air as part of Monday's "Dancing With the Stars," which is broadcast locally on KTVX Channel 4, and also features such celebrities as country musician Billy Ray Cyrus.


E-mail: lisa@desnews.com

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

Image

Utahn Julianne Hough and Olympic speedskater Apolo Anton Ohno, who are partners on "Dancing With the Stars," meet Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. Thursday. Ohno will train in Utah for the 2010 Games.

previousnext

Latest comments

Letters: Immigrants need aid

Your compassion is exceedingly tiny.

Good for Hatch. Shame on most of you. Wow, DN commenters.

To German Bible: Since I can't read German or Greek please explain if the...

Rock on

how do we know they were BYU fans? could be random? could be Ute fans? if...

High school football pairings

Sorry but Alema will win his last ring with a great hard working Springville...

Rock on

Bad timing Rock to bash AK's shooting. Tonight 5-8 for 3pts, Deron Williams...

My word. Sloan will be gone soon. He should have tried to adapt to win....

Way you go Ak. NOw focus on basketball. Good game 2nite. Bring it on celts.

Isn't it amazing that those who use our constitution as an baseline dislike...

I believe the above poster was not saying that Republicans, per se, were the...

Advertisements
Advertisement