Shani Davis
EVENT - LONG TRACK SPEEDSKATING
HEIGHT 6'2" WEIGHT 185 lbs
OLYMPIC HIGHLIGHTS
- 2006 Olympic Winter Games
- Men's 1000m: gold medalist
- Men's 1500m: silver medalist - 2010 Olympic Winter Games
- Men's 1000m: gold medalist
- Men's 5000m: 12th
- Men's 1500m: silver medalist
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
- World's Highest Ranking: First
- 2009 Oscar Mathisen Award
- 2005 Oscar Mathisen Award
- 2006 Major Taylor Award
- 2005 and 2006 World Allround Champion
- 2007 World Champion 1000m and 1500m
- 2008 World Champion 1000
- 2009 World Sprint Champion
- World Champion 1500m
- World Record Holder 1000m and 1500m
PERSONAL
Resides: Milwaukee, WI USA
Shani Davis was born on Friday, August 13, 1982, in Chicago, Illinois. Raised by his mother, on the south side, he started roller-skating at local rinks at age two. At age three, Shani used to dart around the roller rink so fast that many times the skate guards would chase him just to ask him to slow down. Seeming to become bored with roller-skating, by age six, it was suggested by a coach that Shani switch to ice. Shortly thereafter, his mother started working for an attorney, Fred Benjamin, whose son, Jeff, just happened to be involved in speed skating at an elite level. It was at that time that Benjamin suggested that Shani give speed skating a try.
Shani joined the Evanston Speedskating Club at age six and within two months started competing locally. Though immediately taking to ice, at competitions Shani was generally more interested in running around with his competitors and playing video games than he was with competing. Nevertheless, by age 8, he was winning regional competitions in his age group and began hearing about the Olympic ideal from his Northbrook competitors and friends. Shani's mother encouraged him to participate, and in an effort to build his endurance, woke him most mornings to run a mile on a track close to their home. As there were and still are no speed skating clubs in the inner city of Chicago, at age 10, Shani and his mother moved to the far north side of the city to be closer to the rink.
"My mom never thought of herself first, and I credit most of my success to her. She continues to manage my career and is always there for me."
Shani won five National Age Group Championships (1995, 1997, 1999, 2000, and 2003) and also won a North American Championship in 1999. Though Shani was the first black speed skater to earn a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team in 2002, Shani does not concentrate on making black history. Shani began making history at age 17 when he became the first U.S. skater to earn spots on both the short track and long track Junior World Teams and accomplished that feat three years in a row in 2000, 2001 and 2002. At 22, not only did Shani win his third consecutive U.S. Allround Championship and Regional Qualifier (long track events), Shani became the first U.S. skater to make all three World Teams in the same season in the 2004-2005 (World Sprint, World Allround and World Short Track), medalling at all three events, and ultimately winning the 2005 World Allround Championships held in Moscow, Russia in February 2005. At 23, Shani won Gold and Silver at the 2006 Olympics held in Torino, Italy and also repeated his World Allround Title in March 2006 in Calgary. In 2006-2007 season, Shani won world titles in the 1000 meter and 1500 meter events. In the following season (2007-2008) Shani repeated his 1000 meter World Title. For this 2008-2009 season, Shani won his first World Sprint Title in Moscow and his third 1500 meter World Title and currently holds two world records (1000m and 1500m). Turning 27 in August 2009, Shani has traveled all over the world competing in Canada, Hungary, Italy, Finland, Poland, Germany, Russia, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Korea, China and Japan. Going into the 21st year of his speed skating career and after many stellar performances, Shani looks forward to competing in the 2009-2010 season.
Image by shanidavis.org
