The T.C. Williams kids were all wearing Champions in Life t-shirts they received that morning. I was seated in the front row with a local reporter. Apolo was seated right behind the podium and I could not see him at all! The girls behind me were dismayed as well. The HS boys were funny, making catcalls at Apolo: "Apolo, I love you!" "You're so sexy, Apolo" and so on. The girls were practically vibrating with excitement.

Apolo was introduced first and spoke for about 5 minutes. In my pics he looks like ... well, like Lucifer! He referred to the mistakes he's made in the past and how they made him a stronger person, the importance of always giving 100% effort, and tried to impress on the kids to take their academics seriously. He mentioned that he had dropped out of an honors program to hang with his friends and he regrets that decision. He was really funny to hear at that point ... as his message got more serious, his speech became SO ghetto-inflected - everyone picked up on it!

After the program ended, the principal invited students to take pictures - forget that! They literally SWARMED Apolo on the stage. They tore off their t-shirts and flung them at him to sign. Several girls had him sign their lacrosse sticks. Finally, the principal had to escort Apolo off the stage. I asked Carla, the USOC chaperone, if I could possibly get 5 minutes to interview Apolo and she said it was impossible because they had to rush back to DC for their next appointment. Distraught, I just went outside to wait by their van. By and by Apolo and the others came out and boarded the van.

Guess who climbed in after them? I followed him to the back where he sat down. Meanwhile, one of the HS girls was screaming through the window and pushing her t-shirt to Apolo to sign, Apolo was looking for a pen, and Carla was trying to tell me something!

Then Carla, by the grace of God, said, "Apolo, this is Noelle ... she's with [Humongous Media Company, Inc.] and has been patiently waiting to ask you some questions." So then, I had to put my "press" hat back on quite suddenly! It was the briefest of interviews. But I was sitting there with his face oh, mere inches from mine - let's say a foot. I was almost dumbstruck by his beauty in a way I hadn't been at the party, I guess because at the party I wasn't looking him straight in the eye for any significant amount of time.

So here's what I learned:

• Apolo doesn't really consider himself superstitious, but he has a pre-race ritual: He HAS to put his left sock on first, then his right.
• Does he have any goals he hasn't accomplished in his sport? "Yeah, tons. OH YEAH. [Being content with a gold medal] would take all the fun out of it. I'm in it for the challenge." (I think he was genuinely surprised by this question. Obviously, yours truly has been worrying needlessly that he would be leaving the sport for show biz. --Ed.) Then he added: "I start training right now, I compete in September. So I gotta get back in shape!" (I refrained from dancing a jig in the aisle.)
• The best thing about being famous? Getting to meet fans and sign autographs. The worst? Not being able to sign one for everyone who wants one.
• His dad is his biggest inspiration in his life and sport (no surprise there) and he spoke/understood Japanese when he was younger, but not anymore.

This is where I really registered that "golden green" eye color of Apolo's. I was so close, and the light was so clear, that it was unmistakable. I was an idiot and did not take his picture, but I was in that van, all the other USOC people & athletes were there, I knew they were in a rush, I was incredibly flustered ... what's a girl to do? Repent at leisure, that's what! It's a good thing I have a day job.