Turin, Italy – Something happened on the way to the showdown between Americans Shani Davis and Chad Hedrick. Italian Enrico Fabris doused the smoldering U.S. rivalry by winning Olympic gold in men’s 1,500-meter speedskating today.
Davis earned silver and Hedrick settled for bronze.
“Shani and I both wanted to win the race,” Hedrick said. “We both wanted to prove who was the best, but someone else slipped in there and got it.” Fabris posted a time of 1 minute, 45.97 seconds, then waited anxiously to see if any of the remaining four pairs could better him on the slow ice.
“It was difficult to believe it would hold,” Fabris said. “I started quite slow and the other skaters after me started very fast. You have to keep some strength for the final lap. So I did it.” Davis, the former world record holder, went in the final pair, knowing the time he had to beat. After being charged with a false start, he finished in 1:46.13.
“I couldn’t hold it together mentally,” Davis said, referring to the final 200 meters. “I couldn’t finish the race the way I needed to physically.” So focused on the task ahead, Hedrick didn’t acknowledge the cheers for his introduction. He skated in the next-to-last pair, covering 3 3/4 laps in 1:46.22, going much slower on his last lap than Fabris.
“I didn’t feel great,” he said. “I didn’t have good tempo coming out of the turns.” Typically, Hedrick’s strength is his closing lap when he powers across the ice. But the Texan, who holds the world record, knew he wasn’t going to win when he crossed the line, shaking his head. He skated a cooldown lap with his hands on his knees, staring down at the ice.
“I didn’t come here to finish third,” he said. “I’m not happy with what I did. This is not what I sacrificed my whole life to do.” The Italian broke up the American hold on gold medals at these games, becoming the first non-U.S. skater to win one in an individual race. It was Fabris’ second gold, having helped the Italians win the team pursuit. He also won bronze in the 5,000.
While Fabris and Davis skated a victory lap together, an irritated Hedrick plopped down and took off his skates.
“I was pushing a little harder to beat Shani,” Hedrick said.
“We were focused on each other, we were not focused on Enrico.” Americans Joey Cheek and Derek Parra, the defending Olympic champion, were ninth and 19th.
“I’m a little surprised,” Cheek said. “I had thought it would be between Shani and Chad, but if I knew what was going to happen, I’d be a gambler.” Parra – a close friend of Hedrick – yelled encouragement on Davis’ last lap. Cheek hugged Davis after the race.
“I’m not motivated by trying to beat Chad,” Davis said. “Chad is one person. There are a field full of competitors out there trying to win a gold medal.
Davis came out on top in the rivalry between him and the brash-talking Hedrick by virtue of finishing higher in this race.
Each has a gold medal – Davis in the 1,000 and Hedrick in the 5,000.
Hedrick was sixth in the 1,000 and Davis finished seventh in the 5,000.
The two aren’t fond of each other and that was evident on the awards podium.
Hedrick smiled and halfheartedly waved his bouquet. Davis raised both arms, smiled and waved to the crowd.
“People were acting like we were friends before we got here,” Hedrick said. “We never talked that much as friends before we got here. We’re competitors. That’s what it comes down to.” Fabris jumped onto the top spot – in the middle of the Americans – and waved in all directions.
After the bouquets were presented, Davis and Hedrick stepped up and joined Fabris. Davis tousled the Italian’s hair and they talked to each other. Not Hedrick. He stared straight ahead. There was no traditional handshake between the medalists.
“If people watch the sport because of that and find they like it, it will be good for us,” Cheek said, “but if it’s blown into this big thing, all the negative things, it’s not good.”
