ICE MAN OHNO POISED TO AGAIN BE A STAR AT WINTER OLYMPICS.

Byline: STEVE DILBECK

TURIN, Italy - Here he comes again, just a little older, a tad calmer and with familiar expectations, if less ultra-hype.

He's still oh-so cool. Still the darling of his roller-derby-on-ice sport. Still someone who demands to be watched.

Apolo Anton Ohno was dubbed the U.S. star of the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics before a single blade touched ice. He was all the Olympic rage. The cover boy for Sports Illustrated, which only called him: ``The U.S. athlete most likely to leave Salt Lake City with a fistful of medals.''

And if Ohno did have an excellent Olympics, it was something less than a sensation. He won one disputed gold and a silver in short-track speedskating.

This time in Turin, he is again viewed as a serious medal contender, but no longer the undisputed favorite. Ahn Hyun-Soo of South Korea is favored in both the 500 and 1,000, while Ohno remains favored to repeat his 2002 victory in the 1,500.

While Ohno may have fallen short of the lofty expectations placed on him in Salt Lake City, he clearly did accomplish the more significant goal of the U.S. team.

He brought an obscure sport into the spotlight, introducing millions of Americans to the wild world of short-track. His controversial win over South Korea's Kim Dong-Sung after a bump may have even fueled interest. Nothing like a little controversy to pique curiosity.

``I don't think you can really enjoy controversy,'' Ohno said. ``It's something that happens. The one thing I can control is how I prepare for a race and to go out and do the best I can when I get on the ice.''

Yet Ohno, with his goatee and diamond stud in his ear and slightly scandalous past, was still an undisputed hit.

An X-games-style winter sport that had only been introduced to the Olympics in 1992 was suddenly getting the kind of attention normally reserved for more mainstream winter sports.

``I think the last Olympics brought short-track into America's public eye, which is what we wanted to do,'' said teammate Rusty Smith. ``I remember me and Apolo sitting in a car on the way back from practice one day saying if we don't perform well at the Games, no one is going to know what our sport is ever.''

Ohno was only 19 then, part sensation, part rebel. Endorsements and recognition immediately followed Salt Lake City, though they then began to fade, partly by his doing, partly by the typical cycle of most Olympic sports.

Still, when the U.S. short-track team held a press conference Wednesday, the room was overflowing with media, and most questions were directed to the still-goateed Ohno.

``It's crazy,'' Ohno said. ``It's really crazy, and I didn't expect anything less. I think it's great for the sport, for the venue. I think it's going to be an awesome event.''

There seems a lot more discussion of team from Ohno now. Frequent mentions of winning for country.

No one is exactly ready to claim he has mellowed - he was the only member of the U.S. short-track team Wednesday not to wear the team jacket to the press conference, though he did wear a large blue bandana on his forehead - yet there does seem to be a subtle change.

``I do appreciate this more,'' he said. ``Being so young last time, being my first Games, there were a lot things I didn't see, I didn't really understand.

``This time I've really been able to take in everything. Being the Games are in Italy, I've really take in the cultural experience. It's pretty special so far.''

Ohno could still stake a monstrous claim to these games. He is still expected to medal in the 500 and 1,000. Could still leave with the kind of pop star adulation many expected him to obtain in Salt Lake City.

He did not come to Turin anticipating watching others have medals draped around their necks.

``Naturally I'll be disappointed,'' he said. ``I came here to get on the podium for the United States.''

Short track will get its share of attention in Turin. And if it's been a big sport in some other countries, this is still a step up for the sport in the United States.

And no small part of that is due to the colorful Ohno.

``Without the notoriety he got in Salt Lake, it would be hard for us to project ourselves onto the biggest stage in the world,'' said current teammate Anthony Lobello.

``With all the attention also comes a lot more pressure. And I hope Apolo does well with all the pressure on him.''

Ohno is confident he is ready to resume his assault at the Winter Games. He remains in his prime, committed, ready to lay more claim to the Olympics.

``I just decided I wanted to pick it up another level,'' he said. ``I really felt like I needed to push myself and evolve with the sport. Many times, athletes in different sports, after they win a medal, sometimes their results kind of go downhill.

``It's hard to change with a sport that's always getting faster. Guys are getting stronger, new guys are coming up. I felt I needed something to help me be able to compete at the top level.''

He improved his nutrition, weight training, changed the way he trained on the ice and off.

Here he comes again, bringing a whole sport with him.

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) After winning a gold and silver medal at the Salt Lake Olympics, speedskater Apolo Anton Ohno is looking to shine again at the Turin Games.

Vladimir Rys/Bongarts/Getty Images

(2 -- color) (Apolo Anton Ohno has generated increased interest in speedskating. ``Without the notoriety he got in Salt Lake (in 2002), it would be hard for us to project ourselves onto the biggest stage in the world,'' U.S. teammate Anthony Lobello said.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

(3) no caption (Apolo Anton Ohno)