Shani Davis Wins Gold Medal

Chicagoland Speedskater and Olympic Gold Medalist Shani Davis just took the Gold Medal in the 1,000-meter World Single Distance Championships, in Nagano, Japan. He also wiped out the track record with a time of 1:08.99, finishing just .04 seconds ahead of Russian Yevgeny Lalenkov.

Davis took the Gold in the 2006 Torino Olympics, making him the first black athlete to win a Gold in an individual winter sport. In 2007, he captured two golds at the World Single Distance Championships. The World Single Distance Championships run through tomorrow, when Davis is competing in the 1,500-meter.

On the first day of competition, he took 5th place in the 5,000-meters. Rival Chad Hedrick, Gold Medalist in the 5,000-meters at the 2004 Olympics, placed 14th in the same competition.

Shani Davis flashes a sign of victory after taking the Gold. Photo via Shanidavis.org.