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The Skaters The Starting Lineup Simon Cho http://therockerforum.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=tsl&action=display&thread=427 Simon Cho Post by admin on Jan 6, 2009, 11:44pm This thread is totally devoted to Simon Cho, and is intended to be an archive of his skating career - as well as a place to chat about his accomplishments and encourage him as he pursues his goals both on and off the ice. If you have any articles, photos, links and news about Simon (past or present), we'd love to see them! If you are a non-member who would like to contribute news, photos, archives or comments, please feel free to contact us at: lori@rocker-u.net or michelle@therockerfund.org Re: Simon Cho Post by mtnme on Feb 7, 2009, 6:23pm

Simon Cho #265 takes off from the start in the preliminary round of the 500 meter event during the Samsung ISU World Cup Short Track at the Utah Olympic Oval February 8, 2008 in Kearns, Utah. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images North America) Next Album: Seattle SuperSonics v Phoenix Suns Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Jun 3, 2009, 9:42pm The following Hero Card was provided by US Speedskating:

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From the 2007-2008 USS Media Guide:

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Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Jun 28, 2009, 12:40am DID YOU KNOW... ...that Simon holds 3 National Records? JUVENILE BOYS 500M (44.181) - 2/24/07 777M (1:11.942) - 2/25/07 - EDIT: Broken by Claude Gilbert - 3/14/09 1000M (1:34.223) - 2/23/07 Simon's NR time in the 500M was actually more than 1/2 second faster than the current NR for the JUNIOR (older) division! Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Oct 1, 2009, 8:38pm Here's Simon after winning his gold medal in the 500M at Olympic Trials (with Apolo Ohno and Jeff Simon):

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Photo Credit: Doug Benc / Getty Images Re: Simon Cho Post by aaosmts19 on Nov 9, 2009, 10:56am http://www.examiner.com/x-22008-Olympics....r-Olympics-gold Comeback kid - young USA short track skater vying for Vancouver Olympics gold Amidst a wild pack of world-class daredevil skaters who were scheming for a victory, a young club skater zipped around this pile-up to win the 500 meter race at the USA Short Track Olympic Team Trials in September. With this triumph over Apolo Ohno and others, the underdog Simon Cho, surprisingly earned a coveted spot on the USA Olympics Short Track Skating Team that will skate at the Vancouver Olympics. Although nervous at first about this all-or-nothing event, Cho said, It wasnt until the races started, that I knew I was capable of competing. I gained more and more confidence with each (qualifying) race. And now this 17-year-old phenom just finished sixth (Pool B: 2nd place) against the worlds best at the ISU Short Track World Cup in Montreal this weekend. Simply incredible for a skater who was questioning his skating future. My performances last season were mediocre, and I lost funding from the USA national governing body, Cho stated. But after regrouping at home this spring, he returned to the sport with renewed focus and determination. He participated on a Salt Lake City club team this summer, while other elite skaters trained with the USA National Team. So, when it came time for the stressful Olympic Trials, he competed under the radar. What really helped me out was not having any pressure put on me, because I was not on the National Team, said Cho. As the youngest athlete on this five-member Olympics squad, he now travels the world seeking to earn enough qualifying points to compete in the individual 500 meter race, his specialty, in Vancouver. And his recent finish in Montreal, just a few spots behind team members Ohno (second), and Jeff Simon (third), leaves little doubt about his abilities and will. To be able to come back from behind is a great accomplishment for me, said the retrospective Cho, who hopes to land on the Vancouver Olympics podium for not only the 500 race, but also the team relay. Re: Simon Cho Post by aaosmts19 on Nov 13, 2009, 4:57am Simon's bio from NBC Olympics:

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http://www.nbcolympics.com/athletes/athlete=2481/bio/index.html Surprise result Simon Cho is making his Olympic debut in Vancouver, skating in the 500m. The youngest member of the U.S. team at age 18, Cho earned his spot by winning a 500m race at U.S. Olympic trials. The win came when a fortuitous collision between leaders Apolo Ohno and J.R. Celski allowed Cho to cross the line first. Cho had not expected to make the team heading into trials and was planning to quit the sport after the meet. "It was such a huge surprise," he said. "My mind wouldn't wrap around it." Sticking with it Cho wanted to quit skating in January 2009, unhappy with his results from that season, calling it "a complete failure." Cho said he was overtrained, and exhausted mentally and physically. But after talking to friends and family, he decided to continue training through Olympic trials, but with the knowledge that he had to tone down his training. "I've learned to take steps to prevent doing that again," he said. "Just listening to my body more and not ignoring the signs that it's giving me." He now plans to continue skating even after Vancouver. Keeping pace Just two seasons ago, Cho was serving as the "training rabbit" for the women's team. His job was to pace the girls, going faster than they could but just enough so they could stay near him. "When I lead I don't go 100 percent," he said. "I kind of have to gauge myself so that I would go fast enough so that the girls could barely keep up but not slow enough that they weren't working hard." Though not a glamorous job, it was Cho's way of getting to train with the national team. After one season of that, Cho qualified for his first World Cup team in 2006-07, and no longer had to be the rabbit. "Occasionally I still lead for the girls," he said. "I think it's good for me and the girls." On the move Cho was born in Seoul, South Korea, where he first started skating at age 3. His father, Jay, noticed that his son had a lot of energy and thought skating would be a good way to release it. The family moved to Chicago when Cho was 5, and he stuck with the sport, skating at several local clubs before moving to Maryland in 2000. National team coach Jimmy Jang joined Cho's Maryland club as a coach in 2001, and Jang still coaches Cho, now in Salt Lake City. Cho moved to Salt Lake in 2007, and after a few years on his own, Cho's family recently moved there as well. Now in his junior year of high school, he is taking time off to train and compete in Vancouver, with plans to continue next year. Family ties Most of Cho's family still lives in Korea, where he travels frequently for competitions and training but has never returend with his family for vacation. Every year there is a World Cup stop in South Korea, and he has spent summers there training as well. Cho speaks Korean at home, though he says he's more comfortable with English. Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Jan 13, 2010, 9:47am This is an amazingly inspiring, insightful and LONG (4 pages) article about Simon Cho's journey to the Olympics. It's certainly not a typical path, but it does shed light on the struggles these skaters and their families go through to get to the pinnacle of their sport. http://www.mlive.com/sportsflash/college....=michigansports Speedskater Cho Chases American Dream 1/12/2010, 4:42 p.m. EST Amy Shipley The Associated Press Born in Seoul, Simon Cho sneaked into the United States illegally with his mother and sister 14 years ago, slipping through a border crossing near Vancouver. His search for the American dream began with the sort of furtive move that he now relies on in the mayhem-filled sport of short track speedskating. Cho, 18, now a U.S. citizen, will make a triumphant return to Vancouver in February as a member of the U.S. Olympic team that will compete in the Winter Games. But despite the circular path, his journey has been anything but smooth. Yearly speedskating expenses of nearly $40,000 and Cho's move last summer to Salt Lake City to train with the U.S. national team-despite failing to qualify for funding-forced his parents to sell their small, take-out restaurant, Kasey's Seafood in Upper Marlboro, Md., merely to pay the bills. "It doesn't matter for the rich people, but I am not rich," said Cho's father, Jay, who moved his wife and daughter into a rental apartment with their son in Salt Lake, where Jay Cho took a part-time job. "If you don't have money, it's very tough to have the American dream." Simon Cho, meantime, dropped out of high school after his sophomore year, unable to find public schools in Maryland or Utah-private school was out of the question-that would accommodate his full-time commitment to the sport. Despite the myriad sacrifices, Simon Cho did not expect to qualify for the five-person U.S. men's short track Olympic team during the September trials in Marquette, Mich. Still 17, Cho was considerably younger than most of the top athletes in the sport, a wild discipline requiring supreme quickness, speed, strategy-and experience. Five-time Olympic medal winner Apolo Ohno, considered one of the best practitioners in the world, is 27. "When I say nobody thought I would make the team, literally nobody thought I would make it," Cho said recently during a phone interview from Salt Lake City. "Not even me." After arriving in the United States to work in 1993, Jay Cho did not intend to bring his family from South Korea without the proper paperwork, but the wait for green cards was seven years, and he missed his family. In 1996, he met up with his wife, daughter Anna, then 2, and Simon, then 4, in Vancouver. They stayed for a week in a motel, then made their way without incident across the border. Helped by more relaxed immigration regulations at that time, the family obtained green cards by 2001, and all became U.S. citizens by 2004. After several years in Chicago and Harrisburg, Pa., where Cho worked as a software programmer, the family moved to Laurel, Md., seeking better training for Simon Cho. Since taking up the sport at age 3 in his home country, he had shown promise. "He didn't know whether he liked it or not, but in every competition, he got first place," his father said. Simon Cho joined a speedskating club. Jimmy Jang, now an assistant coach for the U.S. national team in Salt Lake City, and Cho began working together in 2001, and Jang said he immediately knew he had a special talent on his hands. "He was a great athlete," said Jang, who believed "he was the next generation ... He was super good." Cho advanced rapidly under Jang, winning a handful of age-group titles.

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"After one season under Jimmy," Cho said, "I knew I could be really good at this." By 2005, Cho had won the juvenile division of the North American Championships. In 2006, he qualified for the national team program in Marquette, Mich., where he attended public school-Marquette Senior High-for the last time, completing his freshman year. That January, he became the youngest to qualify for the U.S. junior world championship team that went to the Czech Republic. Then 15, he finished eighth in the 500. After the year in Michigan, Cho moved back home to Laurel, but found he could not meet public school attendance requirements. He used online classes to complete his sophomore year, he said, but went no further as he learned that the Maryland State Department of Education does not grant high school diplomas for online course work. "I've kind of put my education on hold temporarily," Cho said. "I'm putting all my focus on the Olympic Games." Said Jay Cho: "That's the very, very difficult thing. When he finished middle school, he was good at school. ... But the school system in Maryland is very strict. No exceptions for athletes. ... After the Olympics, he's going to focus on studying and enroll in high school." Simon Cho was actually ready to rejoin his old friends in Maryland's public school system last fall after taking a hiatus from the sport last winter. After a sub-par year in 2008, Cho failed to qualify for performance grants from the U.S. Olympic Committee and U.S. Speedskating, the sport's national governing body. Disappointed and upset, Cho left Salt Lake City, where he had been training with Jang, and returned home. "At the time, I didn't want to skate any longer," Cho said. "I just lost the desire to skate. In the past, I had done so well, but then my results were mediocre. My self-esteem was low at that point." Cho said putting away his skates for a few months was therapeutic. Jang, meantime, wasn't about to let his longtime star pupil simply disappear with the Olympic Games on the horizon. "In 2009, April, I call his father," Jang said. "I say, 'I know Simon Cho has the talent and he can be ready for the Olympic Games.' ... His father say to me, 'I don't have that kind of money to send him to Salt Lake City to teach speedskating.' " Jang recalled springing to action. With the economy in a recession, he couldn't drum up a sponsorship for Cho on a moment's notice, but he also couldn't stomach the idea of Cho giving up on his Olympic dream so easily. Jang persuaded a fellow coach to take on Cho as a student for free. Cho would have to pay only for room, board and travel-related costs, as well as skating club fees. By then, Simon Cho wanted to get back on the ice. With his father's blessing, he flew to Salt Lake City, moved in with friends and got to work, training hard at the Utah Olympic Oval in Kearns, Utah, in the four months leading up the trials. (His parents and sister did not arrive until shortly before the trials.) Cho said he regained his passion for the sport, and got fit. He did not, however, convince himself he could win a place on the Olympic team. The trials took place over four days in mid-September. On day two, Cho surprisingly emerged. After finishing fifth in the 1,500 meters, he faced a brutal field in the 500. Cho lined up with Ohno, world-medalist J.R. Celski and Jeff Simon, winner of six World Cup medals, all of whom were considered favorites. On the fourth lap of the short race, Celski and Ohno got entangled, and Celski, who ended up on the ice, was disqualified. Simon fell after running into Ohno, and Cho cruised across the finish line with what was widely considered a stunning victory. "I thought I had no chance of making it until once the ball got rolling," Cho said. "As the skating progressed, I got better and better with each passing race." That first-place finish all but guaranteed he would go to Vancouver, because the Olympic selection gives individual-event champions priority, and by the end of the trials weekend, Cho's place was secure. "In the closing races, I was definitely nervous," Cho said. "Everyone was so close in points. Plenty of people could have knocked me off of that fifth spot. The whole time I thought, 'I came here with nothing; if I don't make the team, I'll be left with nothing.' " Jang said last week Cho had pushed himself into Olympic medal contention since the Olympic trials. In November, he finished fourth in the 500 at a world cup event in Seoul, then placed sixth at a world cup in Montreal. He will compete in the individual 500 and the 5,000 relay in Vancouver. "That's why I brought him to the United States: to give him a lot of chances," Jay Cho said. "I had, actually, confidence. As long as Simon has (a) strong mentality-because he has talent-as long as he try, I thought (the Olympics) could be possible." Perhaps of greatest relief to the family: Cho has been receiving USOC funds since making the Olympic team. Jay Cho said he hopes his son will land a sponsor or two through his performance at the Olympic Games. That, he said, would bring tremendous relief. In any case, Jay Cho said, his family would remain in Salt Lake City after the Games, continuing to support a career that has been both hard and sweet. "We're halfway to the American dream," Jay Cho said. "If Simon made the final in the Olympic Games, or if Simon gets some medals, it means we make the American dream." Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Jan 19, 2010, 12:43am Olympian Simon Cho: "Ask me any question." http://www.formspring.me/therealsimoncho Also, Simon is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/TheRealSimonCho Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Jan 23, 2010, 11:16pm Jan 19, 2010, 12:43am, admin wrote:

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Olympian Simon Cho: "Ask me any question." http://www.formspring.me/therealsimoncho

So I did - I asked him a helluva LOT of questions, as a matter of fact... Simon's the newest Featured Skater at Rocker-U: http://rocker-u.net/featured_skater.htm Every time I do one of these interviews, it makes me more appreciative of the caliber of young men and women who devote their lives to a sport that requires them to strap swords to their feet, break their bones, spill their blood and give up 'normal' lives - all for the honor of (maybe) representing their country on the world stage someday. Nuts? Maybe. But if you're reading this post, maybe you're nuts too... as I am. Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Feb 3, 2010, 12:51pm How did I miss this? (it's been sitting in my Google alerts for a few weeks...)

http://www.guideposts.com/story/simon-cho-olympics-speed-skating Simon Cho Achieves His Dream This young speed skater has his familyand Lady Luckto thank for his spot on the U.S. Olympic team. By Tim Wendel Heading into the U.S. Olympic Trials, short-track speed skater Simon Cho was a long shot to reach the Winter Games in Vancouver. At 18, he was younger than most of the top American contenders, and he was coming off a subpar season in which he had walked away from the sport for nearly a half-year. During his hiatus, Cho read a lot, including A Journey, an autobiography by his rival and occasional training partner, Apolo Anton Ohno. Of all the books, his was the one I remember the most, Cho said. I didnt realize how much he had battled, the obstacles that he had to overcome. I saw that its often that way with anybody who succeeds in a big way. After a while I got to thinking that if he can do it, why cant I? Last May, Cho decided to return to speed skating, a sport he began competing in at 3 years old. While he was now enthusiastic about the long hours he needed to train, there was the issue of how to pay for it. Cho had failed to qualify for any performance grants from the U.S. Olympic Committee and U.S. Speedskating, the sports national body. Thus, if he wanted to stay in speed skating, he would have to come up with $40,000 in training expenses. Thats when his family stepped up. His parents had already sold their small take-out restaurant, Kaseys Seafood, in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, to help defray Simons expenses. Now they decided to move to Utah to help him prepare for the U.S. Trials and a run at the Olympics. His parents, as well as his 15-year-old younger sister, settled into a rental apartment in Salt Lake City, near the U.S. training complex. Cho trained hard, but nobody could have predicted what happened at the U.S. Trials. After failing to qualify in the 1,500 meters, Cho faced a star-studded field in the 500 meters. Not only was his idol Ohno toeing the starting line, but so were world medalists J.R. Celski and Jeff Simon. But as the race headed into the final lap, Cho swung wide in the turn, avoiding a collision that eventually sent Ohno, Celski and Simon off their skates. To his amazement, Cho finished in first place and made the U.S. team. Nobody thought I had a chance to make this team, not even myself, he says. But thats what the Olympics can be about, maybe should be about--miracles. Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Feb 4, 2010, 11:51am A 'GOOD LUCK, SIMON!' video from YouTube: Note: There is no audio...

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVzZ3sj02UQ Re: Simon Cho Post by mtnme on Feb 4, 2010, 6:37pm Feb 4, 2010, 11:51am, admin wrote:
A 'GOOD LUCK, SIMON!' video from YouTube: Note: There is no audio...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVzZ3sj02UQ

Here's the link with the audio. http://www.onetruemedia.com/otm_site/vie....ed23a&skin_id=0 Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Feb 5, 2010, 1:35am Cho has need for speed By: Brian McNally / Examiner Staff Writer / February 5, 2010 Simon Cho awoke somewhere in eastern Wisconsin, disoriented and groggy, and for a split-second wondered if it was all a dream. As his father, Jay, piloted their car into a small-town gas station, it finally struck the 18-year-old short-track speed skater that he really was heading to the 2010 Winter Olympics...

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Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/sports....l#ixzz0eeVdC68Q Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Feb 9, 2010, 1:33pm Simon has posted a BOATLOAD of photos from his Olympic experience on his Facebook Fan Page, and he promises that more are coming!: (You'll need to copy and paste the link - clicking it won't work...) http://www.facebook.com/settings/?tab=privacy&ref=mb#!/pages/Simon-Cho/181314096611 To see the photos, you must be a member of Facebook, but all Facebook members can view it - click on Photos for the albums. Re: Simon Cho Post by gasp on Feb 9, 2010, 3:21pm Yep, these videos are tons of fun. An inside peak for the fans. WOO HOO Re: Simon Cho Post by justsayin on Feb 19, 2010, 9:04am He's our Hometown Hero! Michael Phelps on Skates.........LOL. Interesting comments at the end. Looks like both Apolo and Shani stepped up to mentor him. Gotta love our US Short Trackers. Speedskater Cho has come a long way from Laurel Short-track competitor, 18, had to learn to love his sport again February 19, 2010 VANCOUVER - - On the morning of the Super Bowl, Simon Cho awoke in the Olympic Village, greeting this unexpected arrangement with saucer-wide eyes. He had moved in a day earlier, an 18-year-old Winter Games neophyte swept off his skates by the world-class talent around him. At the moment, his future was boundless. A year before, Cho was content to accept his fate lying down. Almost literally. "Last year, I was sitting at my house, watching the Super Bowl with my friends, doing absolutely nothing," Cho said. "The next year, I'm in this position where I get to be an ambassador for my country. I've made a huge leap in short-track, and my life, in the span of one year." Cho, who lived in Laurel with his family before moving to Salt Lake City, qualified to race in the 500-meter short-track speedskating event at these Winter Games, doing so at Olympic trials he perceived to be the last competitive event of his career. In early 2009, his passion for the sport had waned. His training left him drained. He had, in his words, "completely lost any self-esteem that I had." He expected to race at the trials and move on. Then short-track stars Apolo Anton Ohno and J.R. Celski got tangled on the fourth lap of the 500-meter final at the trials. Celski crashed to disqualification, and Cho zipped to a win. Crossing the finish line, he simply shrugged. "I was like, 'I don't mind Olympic trials being my last competition ever, so let's just go out and do the best I can and see what happens,' " Cho said. "After I made the team, I feel like my future has changed because of my results. Now I want to continue skating on towards 2014, and probably onto 2018. I'm young, and I feel like my body is going to be able to make it." Cho was born in Seoul, South Korea, and began speedskating at age 3 - thanks to a father who saw a son with energy that needed to be channeled. The family moved to Chicago before settling in Maryland in 2000. Eventually, he hooked up with the current national team coach, Jimmy Jang. Cho moved to Salt Lake City in 2007 - by himself. "When I first moved to Salt Lake, I was excited," Cho said. "I was young, I was 15 years old, and I enjoyed being away from home. It was definitely a new realm for me, and I felt like I'd grown up, living on my own. Which wasn't the case. I thought I'd grown up, but I still had a lot of growing up to do." Eventually, Cho's intense, win-oriented over-training caught up with him. His love for skating was exhausted. But discussions with prominent national team members Shani Davis and Ohno early in 2009 encouraged him to relieve the pressure and free himself to chart a new course. "Once I was able to regain my passion and love for the sport, skating became really simple," Cho said. "When I went out there, it was just the simplicity of me loving what I love to do. I lost sight of that in the past." http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/olympics/bal-sp.cho19feb19,0,560058.story Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Mar 13, 2010, 2:47pm Video from ATT Fanzone (post-Olympics) Meet the Athletes in Vancouver: (Men's) Speed Skate Relay http://fanzone.att.net/play/teamusa/show....ORL D__NFZ_700K

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Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Mar 13, 2010, 3:10pm Korean Speed SkaterSimon Cho Wins a Bronze for the U.S. Short Track Skating Team Posted on 28 February 2010 by Korean Beacon

There was one Korean-American on the U.S. olympic team and he medaled in the 5,000 meter relay for the short track speed skating team. Simon Cho, an 18 year old speed skater, won the bronze medal with fellow relay members Apolo Ohno, J.R. Celski, and Jordan Malone. Cho was born in Seoul, South Korea, and began speedskating at age 3 thanks to a father who saw a son with energy that needed to be channeled. The family moved to Chicago before settling in Maryland in 2000. Eventually, he hooked up with the current national team coach, Jimmy Jang. Cho moved to Salt Lake City in 2007 by himself. When I first moved to Salt Lake, I was excited, Cho said. I was young, I was 15 years old, and I enjoyed being away from home. It was definitely a new realm for me, and I felt like Id grown up, living on my own. Which wasnt the case. I thought Id grown up, but I still had a lot of growing up to do. Read the entire article: http://www.koreanbeacon.com/tag/korean-speed-skater/ +++

Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Mar 14, 2010, 6:01pm The main video (soon to be posted on Apolo's thread) is primarily about Apolo's training, but this Bloopers video has a lighthearted 'mock interview' between Travis Jayner and Simon: http://www.time.com/time/video/player/0,32068,65612491001_1962043,00.html

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Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Mar 26, 2010, 4:46pm Well, Jordan's webchats have generated quite a bit of female interest in the non-Apolo members of the men's team (and rightly so - they're awesome!). A lot of these young ladies are having a great time creating Simon Cho jokes - inserting Simon's name into Chuck Norris jokes, and there's a blog devoted to it! http://simonchojokes.tumblr.com/page/1 Some of my favorites: Simon Cho is the reason why Waldo is hiding. Simon Cho doesnt read books. He stares them down until he gets the information he wants. When Bruce Banner gets mad, he turns into the Hulk. When the Hulk gets mad, he turns into Simon Cho. When the boogeyman goes to sleep, he checks his closet for Simon Cho. Some people wear Superman pajamas. Superman wears Simon Cho pajamas. Simon Cho uses a nightlight. Not because Simon Cho is afraid of the dark, but the dark is afraid of Simon Cho. If at first you dont succeed, then you are not Simon Cho. They once made a Simon Cho toilet paper, but it wouldnt take sh*t from anybody. It is scientifically impossible for Simon Cho to have had a mortal father. The most popular theory is that he went back in time and fathered himself. Simon Cho will never have a heart attack. His heart isnt nearly foolish enough to attack him. This is great! Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Apr 4, 2010, 4:59pm The entire article is good, but I've copied only the final few paragraphs, 'cause I love what those 3 flags meant to Simon... Budding star wins bronze By Mark Zeigler, UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER / Feb 27, 2010 ...It was poignant for Cho. Canada won the 5,000 relay, South Korea was second, the U.S. third. Cho got his bronze, then watched the three flags raised together South Korea on the left, Canada in the middle, the stars and stripes on the right. The country where he was born, the country where he stopped briefly when he was 4, the country he represents now. Getting an Olympic medal and standing on the podium, so many thoughts were going through my mind, Cho said. It was definitely special for me, all three flags being up there To come back to Vancouver, to realize the American dream, is a very special thing for me. For the entire article: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/feb/27/budding-star-wins-bronze/ +++ Tags: Simon Cho; Short Track Speedskating Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Apr 28, 2010, 12:26am

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Simon Says Support Immigration Reform For Immediate Release: April 27, 2010 Contact: Hemi Kim, NAKASEC, 202-339-9318

US Olympian Simon Cho Cites Own Experience to Call for Immigration Reform Met with Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) (Washington, DC) Today, on April 27, 2010, Simon Cho, US Olympian for short track speed skating and the winner of a bronze medal for 500m mens relay spoke about his immigration experience. During a press conference organized by the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC), in a packed room, Simon talked about his memories of crossing the border with his mother at the age of four as undocumented immigrants. Following the press conference, Simon and staff of NAKASEC held face to face meetings with Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) to convey the need for immigration reform in 2010. Read More: http://nakasec.org/blog/1955 +++ Tags: Simon Cho / Short Track Speedskating Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Apr 28, 2010, 12:28am Simon is the Featured Bio of the Week at USOC: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/USOlympicTeam?v=app_4949752878 Tags: Simon Cho / Short Track Speedskating Re: Simon Cho Post by gasp on Apr 28, 2010, 1:29pm Ahh, come on Lori. Post all of the pictures. You know when the article goes "down" so do the pics. The article is great! Nice to see our Olympians sharing their experiences. Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Apr 28, 2010, 9:40pm Apr 28, 2010, 1:29pm, gasp wrote:
Ahh, come on Lori. Post all of the pictures. You know when the article goes "down" so do the pics. The article is great! Nice to see our Olympians sharing their experiences.

Hmmm - I only saw one other pic, and the one I posted was the best of the two, IMO. Were there more? Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on May 5, 2010, 1:28pm Short notice on this one: http://krcla.org/blog/1594/ US Olympian Simon Cho Speaks Up For Immigration Reform When: May 6th, 2010, 2-3pm Where: Kerckhoff Hall State Room 131, UCLA AKASIA, alliance of Korean American Students in Action with the Korean Resource Center and NAKASEC is proud to host Simon Cho, U.S. Olympian for short track speed skating and the winner of a bronze medal for 5,000m mens relay on his first visit to Los Angeles. On Thursday, May 6th, at 2pm, Simon will be at UCLA for a meet-and-greet and speak about his support for immigration reform. Simon will be sharing his experiences as an immigrant and Korean American who overcome great challenges to achieve his dreams. He believes that by sharing this story, young people, regardless of race or immigration experience can begin to empathize with each other. Simon is passionate about giving back to his community and hopes to inspire young people to never lose sight of their own dreams. After a few years in Chicago, Simons family settled near Upper Marlboro, Maryland. While his parents worked long hours running a small seafood takeout shop, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, Simon devoted much of his time to speed skating. After graduation from junior high

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school, his parents sold their business in order to send Simon to Salt Lake City where he could practice full time with the US Olympic team. With Shani Davis and Apollo Anton Ohno as his mentors, at the age of 18, Simon was the youngest member of the US Olympic speed skating team. Please come to hear his inspiring story and to be updated on the current immigration reform movement. If you have any questions about this event, please contact Hayeon Lee 310)525-0806. Tags: Simon Cho / Short Track Speedskating Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on May 10, 2010, 7:38pm Thank you to Donald Lewin Nelson for posting this on Rocker-U's FB Fanpage: U.S. Olympic speed skater Simon Cho advocates for DREAM Act By Iris Chen / The Daily Bruin / May 10, 2010 It was not until U.S. speed skating Olympian Simon Cho received his USA gear for the Olympics that he truly felt like an American citizen. On Thursday, Simon Cho shared his personal story of being an illegal undocumented during a meet and greet at Kerckhoff Hall hosted by IDEAS at UCLA, a student-run organization that advocates the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act. The event was also sponsored by the Alliance of Korean American Students in Action, a nonprofit group that discusses immigration reform. In 2009, Sen. Dick Durbin and Sen. Richard Lugar reintroduced the DREAM Act, which is a bipartisan legislation that would grant students conditional legal status and eventual citizenship should they meet a certain age, education and other requirements. Read More: http://www.dailybruin.com/articles/2010/....vocates-dream-/ +++ The DREAM Act would grant undocumented students conditional legal status and eventual citizenship based on several criteria. Arrived in the U.S. at age 15 or younger Lived in the U.S. for at least five consecutive years prior to enactment of the bill Graduated from high school Serving in the military or attending college for at least two years Having good moral character ---------------------------------SOURCE: Sen. Dick Durbins website Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on May 12, 2010, 12:13pm Olympic dreams, immigration hopes A champion skater who arrived in the U.S. illegally hopes a solution can be found By Simon Cho, for The American Forum / May 12, 2010

Photo: Cameron Spencer, Getty Images Five years after leaving my hometown of Upper Marlboro, I returned to my elementary school to speak about being an Olympian. Everyone knew I'd helped the United States speed skating team win a bronze medal in the 500-meter relay. But there's another important part of my story I don't always talk about: I'm a Korean immigrant who grew up in the U.S. without immigration documents. I was 4 when, clutching my mother's hand, we crossed into the U.S. from Canada. My father secured my U.S. citizenship and passport when I was 11, but I remember little of the process. Read the entire story: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion....,0,635949.story +++ Tags: Simon Cho / Short Track Speedskating Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on May 21, 2010, 8:52am Credit to Jordan Malone for posting this on his FB Fanpage - it's the video of Simon discovering that the others had put his nickname, 'ACE' on the back of his skinsuit - much of the audio is in Korean, but you'll like it!

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Tags: Simon Cho / Jordan Malone / Short Track Speedskating Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on May 24, 2010, 9:26am I've seen this picture all over the internet, but I just discovered its source. Photographer Douglas C Pizac (Sandy, Utah) visited practice at the Oval on January 8, 2010 - taking this photo and many more, including some great pics of coach Jimmy Jang!

Visit his entire gallery at: http://www.gallery.pizac.com/1001_ChoJang/index.html Tags: Simon Cho / Jordan Malone / Travis Jayner / Jimmy Jang / Short Track Speedskating Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on May 26, 2010, 7:30am This is a video that someone on YouTube took from a local news broadcast about Simon's visit to Westwood (Los Angeles) for immigration reform - it also contains quite a few nice pics of Simon as a wee tot! US Olympian Simon Cho visits Los Angeles as part of NAKASEC and KRC community speaking tour

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Tags: Simon Cho / Short Track Speedskating Re: Simon Cho Post by sk8er on May 28, 2010, 9:10pm I just can't believe what I read on Simon Cho's blog. What a disapointment! So J.R. Celski sells him a car, whose brakes fail the first time he drives it home from the rink and he rolls through a red light into an intersection. Lucky he wasn't killed. So he and his Dad get a quote from a mechanic that it will cost $1000 to fix the car he bought for $300. His solution? Sell it to some other naive 18 year old, without disclosing the safety hazards and brag about how he sold it for $500 and made a profit! Am I the ONLY person out there who thinks there's something seriously wrong with this?? If the 18 year old is killed Cho is on the hook for a wrongful death action and I for one would love to see a multimillion dollar judgment. And speaking of judgment where is Mr. Cho in this picture? Obviously not modeling honest and honorable behavior for his son. He's busy filling out the paperwork to get this dog out of his son's life. I'm disgusted. One click of my mouse and you're gone from MY favorites Cho & Co. SusanG Attorney at Law Re: Simon Cho Post by lezhai on May 28, 2010, 9:57pm Wow!! Seriously!!!! That is just wrong! I pray that boy doesn't get into an accident! Re: Simon Cho Post by mtnme on May 29, 2010, 8:23am I confess, it was the first thing I thought too. How horrifying if this kid gets hurt! One can only hope that the dad who was along for the ride knew the car had problems and he and his son intended the car as a 'fixer'...which I hope they are doing! On another note, those of us who have had cars for any length of time know that $1000 dollars to fix THAT MANY problems is chump change! LOL It's usually 1000 smackaroos to fix just one - at the very least! Re: Simon Cho Post by sk8er on May 30, 2010, 2:50pm Definitely chump change mtnme. But worse, Cho said "it would cost $1000 to make the car safe to drive." !! Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on May 31, 2010, 10:11pm May 29, 2010, 8:23am, mtnme wrote:
I confess, it was the first thing I thought too. How horrifying if this kid gets hurt! One can only hope that the dad who was along for the ride knew the car had problems and he and his son intended the car as a 'fixer'...which I hope they are doing! On another note, those of us who have had cars for any length of time know that $1000 dollars to fix THAT MANY problems is chump change! LOL It's usually 1000 smackaroos to fix just one - at the very least!

I'm a pretty light-hearted person - within my circle of friends, I ridicule people who take life too seriously. I find it astounding that some people think that a person giving their toddler/dog a Pop Rock and at their reaction "shouldn't be parents/pet owners". (BTW, Death by Pop Rock is widely regarded as an Urban Legend). So sue me - I'd still be laughing at you when they slam the jail door shut behind me. That being said, I'm totally with y'all here - I'm hoping that Simon was simply 'embellishing' for a good story, or that the buyers of the car were more knowledgeable than they appeared. Nearly as disturbing to me were the comments - 26 when I checked, and all but one 'liked' the post. Simon, say it ain't so...

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Re: Simon Cho Post by lezhai on May 31, 2010, 10:20pm

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Pop Rocks...rock! LOL! I am pretty much the same way, live and let live, but when it could potentially harm someone it isn't funny. Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Jun 11, 2010, 10:16am A nice find by Michelle on the IT blog about Simon Cho (the story is from another blog): http://therockerfund.wordpress.com/ Chasing Dreams by Julie Ha / KoreAm / June 9, 2010 Tags: Simon Cho / Short Track Speedskating Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Jul 9, 2010, 8:16am Korean Immigrants Honored as 'Pride of America' Chosun.com / July 9, 2010 Short track speed skater Simon Cho and Irvine Mayor Kang Suk-hee have been included on the Carnegie Corporation's annual "Immigrants: The Pride of America" list honoring exemplary immigrants to the U.S. Read More: http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2010/07/09/2010070900973.html -----------------------------------A second story on this subject from the Korea Herald: Kang, Cho among immigrants honored by Carnegie July 12, 2010 / Korea Herald http://www.koreaherald.com/lifestyle/Detail.jsp?newsMLId=20100712000502 +++ Tags: Simon Cho / Short Track Speedskating Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Jul 30, 2010, 8:38am Simon's in L.A. this week, and here's a bit about what he's up to: LAS KOREATOWN WELCOMES OLYMPIC MEDALIST SIMON CHO Los Angeles, CA (July 29, 2010) Olympic bronze medalist Simon Cho was welcomed with a special dinner in the Koreatown district of Los Angeles last night, with the short-track speedskater feted by locals and joined by a few lucky fans at a Korean barbecue restaurant. Read it all: http://koreanslate.com/los-angeles-korea....-simon-cho.html +++ Tags: Simon Cho / Short Track Speedskating Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Aug 2, 2010, 3:44pm Well, it looks like we may get to add some more pics to our 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame' thread - Simon's scheduled to throw out the first pitch at the Orioles game tomorrow! Tags: Simon Cho / Short Track Speedskating Re: Simon Cho Post by gasp on Aug 3, 2010, 6:41pm Cross posted to the ladies' threads too.

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Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Aug 3, 2010, 7:37pm Haha - great video, Gasp. I loved the part where they asked Simon to find HIS photo, then they remembered "Oh, yeah, you're not IN this book..." Also from Gasp - here's a photo she found of Simon throwing out the first pitch today, and it's a really nice one!

U.S. 2010 Olympic short track speedskating bronze medalist Simon Cho throws out the ceremonial first pitch before the start of the Baltimore Orioles' MLB American League baseball game against the Los Angeles Angeles in Baltimore, Maryland August 3, 2010. - Photo Credit: Reuters

Tags: Simon Cho / Short Track Speedskating Re: Simon Cho

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Post by bubblebuttsbabe on Oct 7, 2010, 10:42pm Almost didn't make it: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SIMON!! :] Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Oct 28, 2010, 9:54am Simon Cho is the USOC's Athlete of the Week! Re: Simon Cho Post by breidy on Oct 28, 2010, 7:04pm Yeah, Simon. Can't wait to see him on the ice this season. Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Nov 9, 2010, 8:32pm

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Here are Simon's results from American Cup 1 - Oct 2-3, 2010 - Milwaukee: 3rd Overall 1500M - 3rd (A Final) 500M - 3rd (A Final) 1000M - 2nd (A Final) 1500M Super Final Penalty (A Final) Simons finish earned him a slot on the Fall World Cup team info (and hopefully some photos) from the World Cups will be coming soon!

Simon leads Ryan Bedford, Robert Lawrence and Jeff Simon at AmCup 1, Milwaukee. Photo Credit - Jerry Search See more of Jerry's photos at: http://www.nationalspeedskatingmuseum.org/Photo%20Albums/JerrysAlbums.htm Tags: Simon Cho / Ryan Bedford / Robert Lawrence / Jeff Simon / Short Track Speedskating Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Nov 25, 2010, 7:39pm Here are Simon's results from World Cups 1 (Montreal) and 2 (Quebec City) he won his first two individual World Cup medals, plus medals in both relays, for a total of 3 silver and one bronze! Enroute to winning his 500M Silver medal, Simon made his way through the repechage rounds - a tough row to hoe, and very impressive! World Cup 1 (Montreal) 1500M(1) SILVER MEDAL; Heats (2nd); Semis (3rd); Final A (2nd) 1000M Not Entered 500M SILVER MEDAL; Prelim's (4th); Repechage Heats (2nd); Repechage Quarters (1st); Repechage Semis (1st); Repechage Final A (1st);

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Quarters (1st); Semis (2nd) 1500M(2) - Not entered 5000M Relay BRONZE MEDAL World Cup 2 (Quebec City) 1000M(1) Prelims (2nd); Heats (1st); Quarters (1st); Semis (Penalty) 1500M Not Entered 500M Prelim's (1st); Heats (1st); QF (1st); SF (4th); Final B (4th) 1000M(2) - Not entered 5000M Relay SILVER MEDAL Credit for the following photos: Elena Viviani, Italian World Cup team

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Mens 5000M Relay Bronze Medal World Cup 1 (Montreal). L to R: Kyle Carr; Jeff Simon; Travis Jayner; Simon Cho; Anthony Lobello

Mens 500M World Cup 1 (Montreal). L to R: Simon Cho (silver); Charles Hamelin (CAN-gold); Wenhao Liang (CHN-bronze) Tags: Simon Cho / Jeff Simon / Kyle Carr / Anthony Lobello / Travis Jayner / Charles Hamelin / Wenhao Liang / Elena Viviani / Short Track Speedskating

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Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Dec 2, 2010, 3:47pm Before World Cup 3 begins this weekend, I want to post a few more World Cup 1 & 2 photos in my collection that include Simon:

WC1 5000M Relay Bronze (Montreal) Simon is on far right ~ Photo Credit: Elena Viviani

WC2 5000M Relay Silver (Quebec) - Simon is seated, far left ~ Photo Credit: Elena Viviani

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WC2 5000M Relay Silver (Quebec) Simon is on far right ~ Photo Credit: Elena Viviani Tags: Kyle Carr / Anthony Lobello / Jeff Simon / Simon Cho / Travis Jayner Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Dec 16, 2010, 12:39am Here are Simon's results for World Cup 3 in Changchun, China, December 3-5, 2010, including SILVER in the Men's relay! 500M(1) Prelims (1st); Heats (4th); Repechage Heats (1st); Repechage Quarters (1st); Repechage Semis (1st); Repechage Final A (1st); Quarters (3rd) 1500M Not Entered 500M(2) Not Entered 1000M Prelims (2nd); Heats (Penalty) 5000M Relay - SILVER MEDAL Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Dec 16, 2010, 11:04pm This link contains a Q & A with Simon, as well as some PRECIOUS pics of him as a tyke: Simon Cho Olympic Speed Skater by AX3 / December 16, 2010 http://ax3battery.com/2010/12/16/simon-cho-olympic-speed-skater/ Tags: Simon Cho / Short Track Speedskating Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Jan 6, 2011, 7:32am Simon skated at US Championships, Dec 16-19, 2010 Salt Lake City. He finished 2nd overall won both time trials and made it into every A Final - and might have won the US Championship if he hadnt gotten caught up in the 4-skater pile-up in that wild-and-crazy 3000M Final. Simon will be part of the National team for the Winter World Cups, and will also (for the first time ever) skate ALL individual distances at the World Championships in Sheffield, England! Here are his results: 2nd Overall 9-Lap Time Trial - 1st 4-Lap Time Trial - 1st 1500M 2nd (A Final) 500M 1st (A Final) 1000M 2nd (A Final) 3000M 7th (A Final) Heres an article that I had originally posted on Jeff Simons thread, but it has every bit as much to do with Simon: Crash propels Jeff Simon to short track victory By Amy Donaldson / Deseret News / December 19, 2010 KEARNS Simon Cho was 70 points ahead going into the final race of the U.S. Championships Sunday afternoon. And then, as it often does in short track speed skating, a mistake by one athlete cost him the race. Ryan Bedford, who was disqualified after the race, caused a collision between himself and two other competitors. Jeff Simon narrowly avoided the crash that sent two skaters into the pads, but Cho fell because of it.

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Read More: http://www.deseretnews.com/mobile/articl....ck-victory.html +++

Simon (in red) leads Travis Jayner at US Championships, 2010. Photo Credit - Jerry Search See more of Jerry's photos at: http://www.nationalspeedskatingmuseum.org/Photo%20Albums/JerrysAlbums.htm Tags: Simon Cho / Travis Jayner / Jeff Simon / Katherine Reutter / Short Track Speedskating Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Jan 15, 2011, 5:48pm Here's a slideshow of photos from Beverly Hills Porsche that include Simon. Not sure exactly when this happened, but the captions say he's in the 2011 models - so it couldn't have been too long ago. http://www.flickr.com/photos/beverlyhillsporsche/tags/simoncho/show/ Tags: Simon Cho / Short Track Speedskating Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Feb 15, 2011, 9:11am I know that the story of how Simon came to this country from Korea has been well-publicized - but I've highlighted (in bold) some things in this article that I hadn't heard before. I'm not sure who to credit for this, but here's the source link: http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2011/02/15/2011021500855.html Korean-American Speed Skater Defies Obstacles to Win Gold at World Cup Korean-American Simon Cho captured the gold medal in short track speed skating for the U.S. at the International Skating Union World Cup in Moscow on Sunday, winning the men's 500-m race in 42.157 seconds. He was able to push aside Vancouver Olympics gold medalist Charles Hamelin of Canada to win his first World Cup title and realize the American Dream. Cho, 19, was born in Seoul in 1991 but entered the U.S. illegally with his mother in 1996, crossing over the border from Canada to meet his father, who had move to the U.S. three years earlier. He obtained a green card in 2001 and became a U.S. citizen in 2004. His father, Jay Cho, who ran a small take-out restaurant in a little town in Maryland, was a hard worker but could not pull his family out of poverty. Even though he left for work at dawn and came home late every day, the gas and electricity was often shut off at their house. The son of the poor immigrant family showed promise as a young skater, and in 2007 became the youngest ever to qualify for the U.S. short track Olympic team at age 15. However, the skater failed to be selected for the 2008-2009 season, losing a training grant from the U.S. Olympic Committee. Facing financial difficulties, he almost had to give up his dream.

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Then his father sold his restaurant to pay for the training bills, and the team's Korean coach Jang Kwon-ok and Olympic gold medalist Apollo Ohno also helped him. Cho returned to the national team one year later and took the bronze at the men's 5,000 m relay at the Vancouver Olympics. After the Games, he was invited to the White House by President Barack Obama and was included on the Carnegie Corporation's annual "Immigrants: The Pride of America" list. With his gold medal win at the World Cup, he has at last reached the top of the sport and achieved his family's hopes and dream. Tags: Simon Cho / Short Track Speedskating Re: Simon Cho Post by gasp on Feb 15, 2011, 9:46pm This seems to be a common thread amongst Olympians. While they are standing on the podium receiving their medals, that shadow behind them more often than not is a family who sacrificed alot for their child/children. Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Feb 18, 2011, 11:00pm Okay, this article is the best yet! Simon Cho's confidence suddenly makes him a short track speedskating world title contender By Amy Shipley / Washington Post Staff Writer / February 17, 2011 Laurel's Simon Cho could barely take himself seriously at last winter's Olympic Games in Vancouver. Just 18 years old, he felt like the short track speedskating team mascot, a little kid among veteran champions. He believed he was lucky to be there, and surely overmatched. Yet the U.S. short track team head coach, Jae Su Chun, saw in the apprehensive Cho a superb athlete and perhaps the fastest short track skater . . . in the world. He figured Cho was merely a few major competitions away from becoming dominant in his sport. A year later, Cho, who learned his craft at the former Wheaton Speedskating Club, no longer feels like Team USA's littlest brother. And Chun no longer sees only potential churning inside Cho's lanky six-foot, 160-pound frame. Last weekend in Moscow, Cho claimed the first major individual gold medal of his career, toppling a stacked field in the 500 meters at a world cup event. Read More: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/con....21705988_2.html Tags: Simon Cho / Short Track Speedskating +++ Re: Simon Cho Post by breidy on Feb 20, 2011, 5:14am I can remember seeing Simon for the first time in December, 2007. Seemed like every turn he made he was falling on the ice. Three years later he is sitting at the top in the 500m. Job well done, Simon. Cho wins World Cup short-track title Laurel's Simon Cho clinched the overall short-track speedskating World Cup title in the 500 meters Saturday, finishing second in Dresden, Germany, the final stop of the six-city series. The finish gave Cho his fourth medal of the season and assured that he would top the 500 standings with 2,978 points, beating France's Thibaut Faucconet. Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Feb 20, 2011, 1:49pm Over the past 2 weekends, Simon traveled to Europe to compete in World Cups 5 and 6. He won 2 Gold Medals and one Silver Medal and also won the Overall Title in the 500M! Congratulations, Simon!

Simon tangles with Thibaut Fauconnet (FRA) just after the finish line in the 500M(1) Final A on Feb 19, 2011. Fauconnet won the gold, Simon

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the silver. (Photo Credit: AP) Here are his results:

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World Cup 5 (Moscow, Russia Feb 11-13, 2011): 1500M Not Entered 1000M(1) Prelims (1st); Heats (1st); Quarterfinals (4th) 500M GOLD MEDAL; Prelims (1st); Heats (1st); Quarterfinals (1st); Semifinals (1st); Final A (1st) 1000M(2) Not Entered 5000M Relay Not Entered World Cup 6 (Dresden, Germany Feb 18-20, 2011): 500M(1) SILVER MEDAL; Prelims (1st); Heats (1st); Quarterfinals (1st); Semifinals (1st); Final A (2nd) 1500M Not Entered 500M(2) GOLD MEDAL; Prelims (1st); Heats (2nd); Quarterfinals (1st); Semifinals (1st); Final A (1st) 1000M Not Entered 5000M Relay Heats (4th) Tags: Simon Cho / Short Track Speedskating Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Feb 21, 2011, 12:13pm Here's a pic of Simon just after his 500M(2) win (Photo Credit: Getty Images)

...and thanks to Gasp for this find - a YouTube video of the 'bowling for skaters' wild & crazy finish to the 500M(1) final, where Simon Cho won his silver medal in a photo finish, and Travis Jayner won bronze. Short-Track-Weltcup in Dresden - 500m Mnner A-Finale

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Tags: Simon Cho / Travis Jayner / Short Track Speedskating Re: Simon Cho Post by gasp on Feb 24, 2011, 10:28pm From Universal Sports: http://www.universalsports.com/news/article/newsid=520102.html Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Feb 25, 2011, 4:40pm Feb 24, 2011, 10:28pm, gasp wrote:
From Universal Sports: http://www.universalsports.com/news/article/newsid=520102.html

Thanks - This one's definitely a 'keeper'! Re: Simon Cho Post by dust on Mar 2, 2011, 11:51pm Demand Planning: Vancouver Olympics U.S. National Representative Simon Cho - [KBS 1TV 2010.03.10] Documentary Introduction: http://www.kbs.co.kr/1tv/sisa/wedplan/vod/1638462_1068.html (Hangul)

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PS: Travis Jayner spoken korean pronunciation pretty standard! Even than the Koreans in the documentary. Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Mar 5, 2011, 7:46am I love these photos! There are many that I haven't seen before - thanks for sharing! Re: Simon Cho Post by dust on Mar 5, 2011, 7:50pm I mainly upload the attachment! Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Mar 6, 2011, 10:05pm The whole article is good, but Ive just included the parts about Simon. After Vancouver, US Speedskating keeps winning ways Retirements and semi-retirements have no effect on team's performance By Paul Newberry / Associated Press | March 3, 2011

Simon skates in his 500M Gold-Medal-Winning race, World Cup 6 - Dresden, Feb 2011 (Photo Credit AP) Nineteen-year-old Simon Cho looks like Ohno's heir apparent on the men's side, claiming the overall World Cup title in the 500 Cho was an afterthought on the short track team in Vancouver, where the spotlight was squarely on Ohno as he set the U.S. Olympic record by claiming three more medals. Through it all, though, the teenager was picking up some valuable pointers. "There weren't many expectations for me," Cho said. "So last season was a really good opportunity for me to sit and observe, see what the successful skaters were doing compared to what I was doing. For me, the hard work has always been there. I just felt like I was missing something in the equation." Mostly, he had to change his mindset. "It was quite an adjustment for me to go from being the team's little brother and mascot to trying to be one of the main guys on the team," Cho said Read More: http://www.universalsports.com/news/article/newsid=521912.html Tags: Simon Cho / Katherine Reutter / Travis Jayner / Apolo Anton Ohno / Short Track Speedskating +++ Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Mar 10, 2011, 9:12pm This TeamUSA article expands on the one I posted just above:

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Cho takes short path to success By Joanne C. Gerstner / March 10, 2011 Growing up, Simon Cho was taught to respect his elders. Hes come to his own realization about things as an adult, understanding that he can respect his older peers in short track speedskating and still beat them at the same time. Cho, who earned a bronze medal as part of Team USAs 5000-meter relay at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, is having a breakout season. Hes won a slew of medals during the current World Cup Season, including two golds in the 500 meters, plus four silvers and a bronze in other events. He claimed the overall World Cup title in the 500. I guess I always thought of myself as the little brother, that it wasnt my time yet to do things because I was the youngest, Cho, 19, said. I really changed the way I thought about myself over last summer, I just felt like this was my time to go for it. I want to win, Im not settling for anything else. Read More: http://speedskating.teamusa.org/news/201....o-success/41336 Tags: Simon Cho / Apolo Anton Ohno / Short Track Speedskating +++ Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Mar 12, 2011, 8:54pm U.S. skater Cho wins 500, joins Reutter in world short track lead By Philip Hersh / Chicago Tribune / March 12, 2011

Simon Cho celebrates after winning 500M gold at the World Championships, Sheffield, England (Photo Credit: Leon Neal, Getty Images For the first time in 35 years, the United States has the overall leaders going into the final day of the World Short Track Speedskating Championship. Simon Cho of Laurel, Md., moved into the men's lead by winning the 500 meters Saturday in Sheffield, England. At 19, in his first world championships, Cho became the youngest U.S. skater ever to win a world gold medal. "I'm surprised, excited, enthusiatic, exhausted and proud to represent the United States,'' Cho said via telephone as he rode back from the rink to the team hotel. Read More: http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/spor....utter-lead.html Heres an additional picture at the finish line:

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Photo Credit: Leon Neal, Getty Images Tags: Simon Cho / Katherine Reutter / Short Track Speedskating +++ Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Mar 12, 2011, 8:57pm Simon gives a video shout-out to all of his fans after his 500M Gold Medal at the World Championships! http://twitpic.com/48uq32 ----------------------TheRockFairy was able to watch a BBC broadcast of the World Championships she recorded some of the races, including one of Simons 500M races: 500M Heat where he fell and was advanced due to a Thibaut Fauconnet (FRA) penalty: http://www.youtube.com/user/cookies2k#p/u/1/aAoWMu87De4 Tags: Simon Cho / Short Track Speedskating Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Mar 14, 2011, 6:32am NOTE: Simon's 500M Gold Medal makes him the youngest American to ever win a distance title at the World Championships! -----------------------Another World Championship video from TheRockFairy (Day 3): ISU ST World Champs Sheffield 1000m Men Heat 2 http://www.youtube.com/user/cookies2k#p/u/2/yzLCum-gQNg Tags: Simon Cho / Short Track Speedskating Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Apr 11, 2011, 8:44pm Here are Simon's results from World Championships in Sheffield, England (March 11-13, 2011), and World Team Championships in Warsaw, Poland (March 19-20, 2011): World Championships: Simon is now the World Champion in the 500M - the youngest American to win an individual distance at the World Championships! He capped off a great competition with a Bronze Medal in the Mens Relay. 1500M MADE IT TO FINAL; Quarters (2nd); Semis (2nd); Final (5th) 500M GOLD MEDAL; Prelims (1st); Heats (4th-advanced); Quarters (1st); Semis (1st); Final (1st) 1000M - Heats (2nd); Quarters (4th) 3000M 9th 5000M Relay - BRONZE MEDAL (Simon skated in the semifinal round) World Team Championships: Qualifying Round - 1000M (2nd); 500M (2nd); 3000M (NE); Relay (3rd) - 6 individual points (plus 4 as a team for the relay) Repechage Round - 1000M (2nd); 500M (1st); 3000M (NE); Relay (2nd) - 8 individual points (plus 6 as a team for the relay) Final B - 1000M (1st); 500M (1st); 3000M (NE); Relay (1st) - 10 individual points (plus 10 as a team for the relay) Total Individual Points In All Rounds: 24

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Here's a YouTube video of Simon's 500M win, from Universal Sports:

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And some great photos:

World Championships Relay Bronze Medal Podium - Photo Credit: Elena Viviani

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World Championships 500M Gold! L to R: Olivier Jean (CAN); Simon Cho; Wenhao Liang (CHN) - Photo Credit: Alex Livesey, Getty Images

World Championships 500M Gold - Photo Credit: Leon Neal, Getty Images

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World Championships 500M Gold - Photo Credit: Alex Livesey, Getty Images

Gotta get a pic of Simon with the red #1 helmet cover as the overall leader during Day 3's races! Photo Credit: Getty Images

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Tags: Simon Cho / Anthony Lobello / Travis Jayner / Jeff Simon / Kyle Carr / Short Track Speedskating Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Sept 30, 2011, 4:32pm I had heard that Simon (even though he signed up) was injured and wouldn't be competing in AmCup1 this weekend - this article confirms it: http://chesterfield.patch.com/articles/whats-it-like-to-win-olympic-medals Coach Jae Su Chun says that Simon "could be back in play by December". Heal well, Simon! Tags: Simon Cho / Short Track Speedskating Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Oct 7, 2011, 8:34am

Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Oct 19, 2011, 9:54pm Simon entered AmCup 1 (St. Louis, Oct 1-2) with an injury, and we had heard that he wouldn't be competing. However, my understanding is that in order to be eligible for a medical bye, he had to start in one race at AmCup 1, which he did. He competed in the 1500M Quarterfinals, but withdrew from all further races. Simon was awarded a discretionary slot for World Cups 3 & 4 in November/December, with hopes that he will then be healthy enough to compete. Heal fast, heal well, Simon! 25th Overall 1500M - 12th (Did Not Start/Semifinal) 500M - Did Not Start 1000M - Did Not Start 1500M Super Final - Did Not Start Tags: Simon Cho / Short Track Speedskating Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Nov 26, 2011, 7:39am Sad news for Simon - his injuries haven't healed enough for him to skate at his best in World Cups 3 & 4, so he chose to give up his spot on the team to another skater (John-Henry Krueger will replace him). This was a classy move on Simon's part, and I know we all wish him the best for a healthy return to skating at US Championships in January! Tags: Simon Cho / John-Henry Krueger / Short Track Speedskating Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Dec 7, 2011, 6:41am Cross-posting here from the 'Contests and Polls' thread: Simon Cho announces UnderArmor's "First Annual Virtual Scavenger Hunt" - use Twitter to earn free stuff from UnderArmor, including posters signed by the ST team!

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Let us know if you win anything! Re: Simon Cho Post by daisymomma on Jan 3, 2012, 9:42am Since I am so out of it in the st world I need to play catch up and was wondering what the nature of Simon's injuries were? Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Jan 3, 2012, 2:11pm Jan 3, 2012, 9:42am, daisymomma wrote:
Since I am so out of it in the st world I need to play catch up and was wondering what the nature of Simon's injuries were?

I think we heard at one point, but I can't remember... I'm just glad he's skating this weekend! Re: Simon Cho Post by daisymomma on Jan 3, 2012, 4:14pm awesome don't like seeing any of them hurt. Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Jan 6, 2012, 9:41pm This is an AWESOME article about Simon Cho's comeback from injury - it also touches on injuries that his teammates Katherine Reutter and J.R. Celski are dealing with. Daisymomma, this will answer your quesion upthread... Speedskating world champ returns after injury to defend title SI.com / January 6, 2012 KEARNS, Utah (AP) -- The fractured vertebra in Simon Cho's lower back still hasn't fully healed. Yet despite the pain, he still managed to finish first and second in a pair of time trials Friday at the U.S. Short Track speedskating championships at the Utah Olympic Oval. "There is no time to rest right now, especially because I have a world championship title to defend," Cho said. Cho had a breakthrough year last season. After winning Olympic bronze in the 2010 Vancouver Games as part of the men's relay, Cho claimed an individual world title at 500 meters last March. It motivated him to train harder than he ever trained, and to set the bar even higher. Then the pain started. Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/mo....l#ixzz1ikOlTWni +++ Tags: Simon Cho / Katherine Reutter / J.R. Celski / Jonathan Garcia / Short Track Speedskating Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Jan 30, 2012, 11:16am Simon competed at US Championships in SLC (Jan 6-8, 2012) - he finished 1st overall, and will represent the USA on the Winter World Cup team, and also at World Championships! Congrats to Simon - our new US Champion!

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Here are his results: 1st Overall 9-Lap Time Trial 2nd 4-Lap Time Trial - 1st 1500M 2nd (A Final) 500M 1st (A Final) 1000M 1st (A Final) 3000M 7th (A Final)

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Overall Finish - L to R: Travis Jayner (2nd); Simon Cho (1st); Jordan Malone (3rd). Photo Credit: Jerry Search

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500M Podium - L to R: Jordan Malone (3rd); Simon Cho (1st); Travis Jayner (3rd). Photo Credit: Jerry Search See more of Jerry's photos at: http://www.nationalspeedskatingmuseum.org/Photo%20Albums/JerrysAlbums.htm Tags: Simon Cho / Travis Jayner / Jordan Malone / Short Track Speedskating Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Feb 2, 2012, 6:14pm Very nice article about Simon on TeamUSA.org: Simon Cho shows hes back for more Joanne C. Gerstner / February 02, 2012 I feel a real sense of obligation and duty to lead the U.S. delegation at the World Cups and World Championships, Cho said. Its an honor and I want to show, through my example, that were going to be working hard and aiming to be the best out there. As long as I can skate, I will be competing. I take that very seriously. Read More: http://www.teamusa.org/news/2012/02/02/s..../46480?ngb_id=3 +++ Tags: Simon Cho / Short Track Speedskating Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Mar 11, 2012, 11:12pm Here are Simons results from the final 2 World Cups of the season: World Cup 5 - Moscow, Russia (Feb 3-5, 2012) 1500M(1) Not Entered

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1000M Prelims (2nd); Heats (3rd-qualified); Quarterfinals (2nd); Semifinals (4th); Final B (2nd) 500M MADE IT TO FINAL A; Prelims (1st); Heats (4th); Rep Heats (1st); Rep Quarterfinals (1st); Rep Semifinals (1st); Quarterfinals (2nd); Semifinals (2nd); Final A (PEN) 1500M(2) Not Entered 5000M Relay Not Entered World Cup 6 - Dordrecht, Netherlands (Feb 10-12, 2012) 1500M - Not Entered 1000M(1) Prelims (2nd); Heats (1st); Quarterfinals (1st); Semifinals (5th) 500M GOLD MEDAL; Prelims (3rd-qualified); Heats (3rd-qualified); Quarterfinals (2nd); Semifinals (2nd); Final A (1st) 1000M(2) Not Entered 5000M Relay - Simon skated in the B Final of the Mens 5000M Relay, where the team finished 1st

500M Gold medal flower ceremony - L to R: Francois-Louis Tremblay (CAN - Bronze); Kwak Yoon-Gy (KOR - Silver); Simon Cho (USA - Gold). Photo Source: ISU Facebook See more great photos from World Cups 5 & 6 on ISUs Facebook photo pages at the following link: https://www.facebook.com/search/results.....145517225545786 Tags: Simon Cho / Francois-Louis Tremblay / Kwak Yoon-Gy / Short Track Speedskating Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Apr 7, 2012, 2:58pm Simon skated in the World Championships in Shanghai, China (March 9-11, 2012) - Here are his results: 1500M Heats (2nd); Semis (5th) 500M Prelims (1st); Heats (1st); Quarters (2nd); Semis (Penalty) 1000M - Prelims (1st); Heats (2nd); Quarters (4th) 3000M did not qualify to skate 5000M Relay - Simon skated in the men's relay semifinals, but the team received a penalty and did not advance

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Simon (#169) skates in the 500M Preliminaries at the World Championships - also pictured: Bence Olah (HUN); Yuzo Takamido (JPN); Selim Tanrikulu (TUR). Photo Credit: Getty Images More great photos from the competition can be found on ISUs Facebook photo albums at: https://www.facebook.com/media/albums/?i....5545786&t ype=3 Tags: Simon Cho / Short Track Speedskating Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on May 10, 2012, 6:01pm Simon Tweeted this today (thanks, Lilyover70 for the heads-up): Going in for surgery tomorrow.. Wish me luck! So sorry to hear this - heal fast, heal well, Simon! Re: Simon Cho Post by gasp on May 10, 2012, 7:14pm Speedy recovery! Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on May 11, 2012, 12:29pm He has since Tweeted that it's to correct a deviated septum that will help with his breathing. Glad it's not injury-related! Re: Simon Cho Post by daisymomma on Sept 16, 2012, 3:53pm I must have missed something a while back but I am not sure Simon is training from his tweets he has been traveling anyone know anything? Re: Simon Cho Post by admin on Sept 16, 2012, 6:27pm He's registered for USSDC (World Cup Trials), so I'm sure he's training - but I don't know where. I don't think he's at the Oval though, 'cause I never see him in any of the pictures. Re: Simon Cho Post by lilyover76 on Sept 16, 2012, 9:49pm He has been in Europe; I saw tweets from Barcelona and other locales. But he came back to US soil today, according his tweet below: Simon Cho @TheRealSimonCho Been a long, hard, and fun summer but I'm finally back on U.S. soil! Re: Simon Cho Post by jreutter on Yesterday at 5:29am Simon Cho is training with the French team as a "rabbit" to chase according to my sources. Re: Simon Cho Post by daisymomma on Yesterday at 8:48am Thanks for the info!!!

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