Shani Davis takes the gold in men's 1000m speed skating.
At an unofficial time of 1:08:89, Shani continues his dominance of that event and becomes the first black American to win an individual Winter Olympics gold medal. Congratulations.
Joey Cheek claimed the silver and Erben Wennemars of the Netherlands the bronze. Shani said that he wanted to concentrate on this event and it shows: His time was almost :30 better than Cheek's second-place showing. Meanwhile, Chad Hedrick, the sentimental favorite and media darling who criticized Shani's decision not to compete in team pursuit, came in sixth place. There's something to be said for humility—just ask Bode Miller or Jeremy Bloom.
Yay. I was updating the results page on the 1000m speedskating site this afternoon as each of the heats were skated.
I'm glad Shani and Joey went 1-2. Woulda been cool if Chad or another American had won to go 1-2-3. But alas, it wasn't meant to be.
And, since I can't post without griping about something (*smile* *nudge*), please don't serve Chad the same humble pie that Bode Miller deserves so much.
Bode has been a favorite in some five events and crashed and burned in three so far (two to go next week).
Aside from the team pursuit (which as you noted was in its first year of competition), the 1000-meter race is Chad's weakest event (only skated seven times; only skated it because he was greedy and wanted five gold medals ;) and Shani's strongest. It's hardly the David beats Goliath scenario.
The real cat fight will come in the 1500m on Tuesday. Chad is No. 1-ranked and Shani is No. 5-ranked. It'd seem to be a much easier way to compare the two. Then you have Joey, who is a surprise winner during the Games, and mah boy Derek Parra (though I think he peaked in Salt Lake City, so we'll see).
Silver (or Gold) Lining of the Winter Games: Now everybody has a gold medal. Nyah!
Anyways. These are the Days of our Lives. ;)
Posted by: BRIAN | 18 February 2006 at 13:17
Bravo Shani! Very good news. That 1500 on Tuesday sounds like it'll be super hot. PS: Thanks Brian -- how did I miss Derek Parra? Ummmm!!!
Posted by: ReggieH | 18 February 2006 at 13:28
Thank goodness! I am so happy for Shani. Good for him and fuck all the media pundits that wanted to paint him as selfish.
Posted by: afrohomo | 18 February 2006 at 15:11
I have been excited since first reading about this earlier today. Its clear,through previously made comments, that hedrick has ill feelings for Davis. I am just glad that Shani got the gold medal he was after.
Posted by: Marc | 18 February 2006 at 17:16
he is so gorgeous in this pic...i love you Shani!
Posted by: Octavio | 18 February 2006 at 22:29
Maybe a little off topic but Rod why is there nothing on the Boot Camp Death Video from florida?
Posted by: WillieDynamite | 18 February 2006 at 22:52
I was so excited to hear that Shani won, but was a little disapointed to hear his brief interview on NBC after the race. I know that he has been having issues with the media, but he came off as very arrogant. He answered every questiion with a yes or no answer & when asked if he was excited about being the first Arfican american to win an individual medal in the winter olympics, he said "it's okay". What a turn off!! especially after they did a great story on his road to the olympics & his relationship with his mother.
I will still be pulling for him in the 1500m on Tuesday, but I hope he comes off better in the interview after this race.
Posted by: slamindhamhocks | 18 February 2006 at 23:36
I was watching Bill Maher last night and they were saying that the winter olympics were for white people...
Congrats on Shani scoring a first!
Posted by: Robguy | 19 February 2006 at 00:09
Yes black men dreams really do come true. I say black men, because I believe so many of us black men AND women are not living the life we want to live. I think a large portion of our people still think that we have to be givien something or that we have to get permission to live the life we dream about. Emancipate yourselves and seek the zenith. Alright Shani!!!!
Posted by: Ben | 19 February 2006 at 10:21
I am so happy for him. The Chad guy is just plain greedy!
Posted by: nathans | 19 February 2006 at 13:02
Having spent the entire interview appearing GENUINELY upset/angry/disillusioned about something,Shani's NBC interview would had been more convincing had he NOT grinned AFTER the interviewer asked him if he was angry or whatever. He just couldn't keep that straight face because there was NO straight face, only a childish opportunity to look the part of the angry black man, when he was really estatic about winning a gold. Anyway, his "success" means nothing to me. But don't get me wrong. i love my brother truly. i am just sick and tired of our people wasting so much precious effort trying to prove to white folks that we can do whatever they can do. Such a thing reveals that we honestly believe that we ARE inferior to whites UNTIL we PROVE we aren't, not overstanding that no matter what we do (an all Black, 8th grade, special education science class discovering AIDS cure with antiquated lab equipment, for example)white folks will NEVER, EVER think we can do what they can do. It is simply NOT in their political, social, psycological, and economic interest to think such a thing... When will we overstand this and proceed to use our collective energies towards worthwhile activities, like liberation struggle?
Posted by: darkmanjah | 20 February 2006 at 09:02
but (darmanjah) we are still by right americans too in every sense of the word (check history)... our relation to the u.s. is relevant and i believe the motivation to do whatever we want in that spirit of things and on that note is not so much to prove things to white people...african american is not something being handed to us out of political correctness, as so many seem to feel or think, it is something that has been earned, through our perpetual contributions to this land reguardless of how we may have come here (and not all through slavery either) been mistreated or misportrayed. we are a part of and not apart from, i can only hope perspective will continue to be gained by all individuals (black, white, etc.) of black people's strong and culturally specific thread (as african americans) to this country born out of legacy and not insecurity.
Posted by: yeahisaidit | 20 February 2006 at 14:12
good job.god is good.he deserved it
Posted by: algie | 21 February 2006 at 18:05