All-around champion

Jet, Feb 28, 2005

ALL-AROUND CHAMPION: World speedskating champion Shani Davis celebrates during the awards ceremony after he won the World Allround Speedskating Championships, the sport's most prestigious annual event, in Moscow, Davis led the United States as the team took the top four spots in the men's 1,500-meter race and a 1-2 sweep of the overall honors to become the first Black speedskater to win the all-around title.

In the 1,500meter race, Davis clocked 1 minute, 46.60 seconds and after he competed in the 500m, 5,000m and 10,000m, he earned an all-around point total of 150.777. The 22-year-old Davis, who last month broke two speedskating world records (JET, Jan. 31), is favored to win at least one Olympic gold medal next winter in his hopes, he has said, to become the first speedskater to compete in both long and short track at the Winter Games.