Don’t Sell Ohno Short

For the balloon of hype that built up Apolo Anton Ohno before these Olympics, and for all the air that leaked out when he failed to qualify for the finals of his first event, there is this: Ohno still can win as many medals as he did four years ago.

Ohno advanced to the semifinals of the 1,000 meters and led the U.S. team to the finals of the 5,000-meter relay in short-track speedskating Wednesday.

“I’m really happy for me and for the team,” he said. “That was big. It’s another chance to hopefully go out there and get a medal.”

The U.S. relay team won no medal in Salt Lake City; Ohno won silver in the 1,000 and gold in the 1,500. His bid to repeat in the 1,500 ended badly Sunday -- “Not my day,” Ohno said -- when he bumped another skater, stumbled and did not advance past the semifinals.

“To see him not be able to skate in the final, it’s hard,” teammate Rusty Smith said. “We have at least one more final in us.”

Smith joined Ohno in qualifying for Saturday’s semifinals in the 1,000. The two teamed with Olympic rookies Alex Izykowski and J.P. Kepka as the U.S. posted the fastest time in qualifying for the relay finals, scheduled one week from Saturday.

“It was a very good day for short-track in the U.S.A.,” Smith said. “I think we are all completely ecstatic.”

It was not a very good day for the American women in short-track. Wang Meng of China won the 500 meters, followed by Evgenia Radanova of Bulgaria and Anouk Leblanc-Boucher of Canada.

Allison Baver, Ohno’s girlfriend, did not advance to the finals. The other U.S. entrant, Halie Kim of Fullerton, finished last in her quarterfinal heat.

Kim, 17, is suffering from an injured Achilles’ tendon that she said would require six months of rest to heal.

“I got hurt and couldn’t practice my start,” she said. “I did my best, but it was hurting my legs.”

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MEDAL WINNERS

- WOMEN’S 500 METERS

GOLD

* Wang Meng, China

SILVER

* Evgenia Radanova, Bulgaria

BRONZE

* Anouk Leblanc-Boucher, Canada