Ohno earned eight Olympic medals in short-track speed skating across three Winter Games.
Olympian Apolo Ohno to Headline The HFA Show 2026 with Keynote on Connection and Resilience
Ohno’s talk will explore connection, trust, and transformation in a fast-moving fitness industry.
Olympic legend and bestselling author Apolo Ohno will deliver a keynote address at The HFA Show 2026, taking place March 16–18 in San Diego.
Ohno's March 18 keynote, “Human 2.0: Upgrading Mindsets for Connection in a Fast-Changing World,” will explore how individuals and teams can stay connected, focused, and inspired amid constant disruption. Drawing from his journey as the most decorated US Winter Olympian and his post-athletic career in business and leadership, Ohno will share practical strategies to help organizations cut through digital noise, build trust, and turn shared challenges into collective strength.
His message aligns with this year’s show theme: Stronger Together. As the health and fitness industry continues to evolve, Ohno’s insights will offer attendees a roadmap for thriving through change—not alone, but as unified teams and communities.
Ohno rose to prominence by winning the US Championships at the age of 14 after just six months of training. He went on to earn eight Olympic medals in short-track speed skating across three Winter Games (2002, 2006, and 2010). Since retiring from competition, he has become a bestselling author with his book “Hard Pivot: Embrace Change. Find Purpose. Show Up Fully.” as well as a motivational speaker and business leader focused on high-performance mindset and reinvention.
He remains active in the Olympic movement, serving as an NBC sports analyst and ambassador for the Special Olympics and Winter Games, while also advising on the Salt Lake City and Los Angeles Olympic bids. Beyond the rink, Ohno has proven his versatility—winning the fourth season of the TV show “Dancing with the Stars” and completing the Ironman World Championship in under 10 hours.
The HFA Show 2026 will feature three days of education, networking, and innovation for health club and studio operators from around the world.
Registration is now open. Visit healthandfitness.org/show to learn more and to register for the event. Keynotes are included in the conference package and can be added on for trade show-only registrants.
Pamela Kufahl is HFA's senior director of communication. She is responsible for driving social media content, producing member and industry-facing resources, such as the Global Report and U.S. Health & Fitness Consumer Report, and creating tools to help promote the industry domestically and to international media, NGOs, and policy organizations. When Pamela isn't in the office, she enjoys exercising, visiting museums, going to the theater and movies, and fostering puppies.