Davis makes Winter Olympics history

TURIN, Italy, Feb. 18 (UPI) -- American Shani Davis became the first black athlete to win an individual Winter Olympics gold medal Saturday, capturing the 1,000-meter speed skating race.

Davis, the winner of six World Cup 1,000-meter races this season and the world record holder over that distance, carried his success onto the sport's biggest stage by edging American teammate Joey Cheek.

Erben Wennemars of the Netherlands was third. Chad Hedrick of the United States, who along with Cheek has won a gold medal at the Turin Olympics, settled for sixth.

Davis, skating in the 19th pairing out of 21, turned in a time of 1:08.89. Because of the slow ice at the Oval Lingotto, that was well off his world record time of 1:07.03.

But it was fast enough to make Winter Olympics history. Cheek earned the silver in 1:09.16 while Wennemars was timed in 1:09.32.

Hedrick, winner over 5,000 meters in his Olympic debut, is more of a threat over longer distances. Davis finished seventh in the 5,000.