American speedskater Davis wins Norwegian award

May 20, 2009

Oscar Mathisen in 1914 with all his medals. Photo: Wikipedia

Photo: www.shanidavis.org

OSLO (AP) — American speedskater Shani Davis won Norway’s 2008-9 season Oscar Award for speedskating on Tuesday for “his overwhelming achievement” of setting two world records in two days at World Cup finals in May.

The awards citation praised Davis for setting a 1,500 meter record of 1 minute 41.80 seconds on May 6, and then setting a 1,000 meter record for 1.41.80 the next day.

The award was created in 1959 by the Oslo skating club in honor of Oslo-native Oscar Mathisen, a five-time world all around speedskating champion and multiple world record holder who died in 1954.

Davis is the fourth American to win the award.

The others were Chad Hedrick in 2004, Bonnie Blair in 1992 and 1992 Eric Heiden for four straight years ending in 1980.

The prize is a miniature copy of a statue of Mathisen that stands outside his home arena in Oslo, Frogner Stadium.

Source: Usatoday.com

Read more about Oscar Mathisen on Wikipedia.org

Read more about Shani Davis on Shanidavis.org