Duke Kahanamoku
Duke Kahanamoku introduced a powerful style of swimming, winning five medals (three gold) over three Olympic Games. He then became a surfing ambassador to the world.
This May, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum proudly honors Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, showcasing the extraordinary achievements of AAPI athletes who have left an indelible mark on Olympic & Paralympic sports and Team USA.
From iconic Olympians like Apolo Anton Ohno and Kristi Yamaguchi to trailblazing Paralympians such as Trischa Zorn-Hudson, AAPI athletes have consistently elevated the ideals of unity and perseverance on the world’s greatest athletic stages.
Join us this month as we showcase their achievements and explore the legacy of AAPI athletes who continue to shape the future of sport and inspire countless fans worldwide.
Discover some of the most iconic AAPI Olympians & Paralympians who represented Team USA in the Summer and Winter Games.
Duke Kahanamoku introduced a powerful style of swimming, winning five medals (three gold) over three Olympic Games. He then became a surfing ambassador to the world.
Flo Hyman helped lead Team USA to a silver medal at the Olympic Games Los Angeles 1984, the first Olympic medal ever won by the U.S. women’s volleyball team.
Kristi Yamaguchi won the ladies’ singles figure skating gold medal at the Albertville 1992 Olympic Winter Games.
Michelle Kwan sits as the most decorated figure skater – male or female – in the United States, having won 43 championships.
Diver Sammy Lee overcame racial prejudice while growing up to become the first Asian-American man to win an Olympic gold medal.
It was at an internment camp in the desert during World War II that Tommy Kono’s asthma dissipated and he was introduced to weightlifting, eventually winning two Olympic gold medals and one silver.
Swimmer Trischa Zorn-Hudson is the most successful athlete in the history of the Paralympic Games, having won 55 medals, including 41 gold medals, over seven Paralympics.