Eight-time Olympic medalist Apolo Anton Ohno is taking legal action against his former partner, alleging she has held onto a trove of personal and business belongings long after their relationship ended. According to court documents obtained by TMZ, the speed skating icon filed a lawsuit against Anna Pham seeking $385,000 in damages for the unreturned property.
The list of missing items reads like a museum of Ohno's career: studio and audio-production gear, photographic and video equipment, electronics, apparel, a firearm, and computer hard drives filled with irreplaceable content. Among the most prized possessions are Olympic race and training footage, documentary footage intended for future commercial sale, an unpublished book manuscript, and personal Olympic photographs.
Ohno claims he publicly asked Pham to return his belongings via Instagram last October. She did eventually give back the Olympic medals she had, but everything else remains unaccounted for. Pham told TMZ that Ohno was allowing her to return the items “on her own terms.” The lawsuit states the couple’s relationship ended in 2023.
This off-ice drama stands in stark contrast to Ohno’s legendary career. The Hall of Famer won eight Olympic medals, including two golds in 2002 and 2006, making him the most decorated Winter Olympian in U.S. history at the time. He also captured 12 U.S. championships and 21 world championship medals, and became the first American speed skater to win a World Cup title—a feat he accomplished three times.
Ohno’s journey began early: at 14, he became the youngest U.S. champion in 1997. Since retiring from competition, he has focused on philanthropy and promoting a healthy lifestyle. Earlier this year, he told The Spun that transitioning out of sports was a struggle. “I couldn’t have envisioned a life more filled with these incredible experiences that have occurred, and also the immense challenges of transitioning beyond the world of sport,” he said.
While Ohno hasn’t commented publicly on the lawsuit, he recently showed his support for Team USA’s men’s soccer team during the World Cup, posting on Instagram, “Team USA baby! World Cup things w/ the OG Ohno. Never seen Seattle or LA come alive like this! We needed this World Cup!!” The post included photos and videos of him attending matches with his father. This echoes the recent global fan reaction during the World Cup knockout stages.
The lawsuit adds a personal chapter to Ohno’s storied life, but his legacy as a pioneer in speed skating remains untarnished. As the case unfolds, fans will be watching to see if he can recover the pieces of his past that matter most.
