Two decades ago, American speed skater Shani Davis made history by becoming the first Black athlete to win a gold medal in an individual event at the Winter Olympics, achieving this remarkable feat in the men’s 1,000-meter race in Italy. In addition to his gold medal, he also secured a silver in the 1,500-meter event. Davis continued to shine four years later at the Vancouver Olympics, where he made history once again by being the first man to win consecutive gold medals in the 1,000 meters while also repeating his success with a silver in the 1,500 meters.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, Shani was introduced to speed skating at the age of 6 by his mother, who worked for a local lawyer that had connections to the sport. Inspired by a suggestion from the lawyer—whose son was an elite skater—Cherie Davis enrolled Shani in lessons and dedicated herself to waking him up every morning to run a mile, effectively building his endurance from a young age.
In 2000, Davis broke barriers by becoming the first American skater to qualify for both the long and short-track teams for the Junior World Championships. His unique height of 6’2″ set him apart in the short-track arena, allowing him to race lower to the ice and achieve remarkable speeds.
Interestingly, the character Frozone, an animated African-American superhero with ice powers from the film The Incredibles, is said to have been inspired by Shani Davis. Additionally, he played a role in the establishment of the Washington, DC Inner City Excellence (DC-ICE) program, which aims to support and empower young skaters. Although he retired in 2019, Davis remains an active supporter and mentor for children in the program.
In more uplifting news from this date, two years ago, Singaporean Ashwath Kaushik made headlines by becoming the youngest player to ever defeat a grandmaster in classical tournament chess at just 8 years, 6 months, and 111 days old. He surpassed the previous record by four months after triumphing over Poland’s Jacek Stopa at the Burgdorfer Stadthaus Open in Switzerland.
Ashwath, originally from India, has been living in Singapore with his family for six years. Following his victory against Stopa, he finished in 12th place overall in the tournament and is set to gain 84 rating points, bringing his rating to an impressive 1894—just shy of the highest rating for players under 8 years old.
His parents support his chess journey without pressure, allowing him the freedom to pursue the game at his own pace. Currently, he benefits from personal coaching by Chess Grandmaster Kevin Goh Wei Ming, the CEO of the Singapore Chess Foundation. Ashwath has even completed Grandmaster Jacob Aagaard’s entire series without using a board, a feat his father attributes to his remarkable photographic memory.
Ashwath shared his thoughts on his passion for chess, stating, “I practice a lot each day. A lot of children have a natural talent, so I think I’ve got a natural talent at chess.”
Lastly, let’s celebrate John Travolta, who turns 72 today! The iconic star is known for his roles in beloved films such as Saturday Night Fever, Grease, Pulp Fiction, Get Shorty, Hairspray, and Swordfish. His impressive career has earned him a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and nominations for two Academy Awards and a BAFTA Award. Travolta’s mother, Helen Cecilia, was also in the entertainment industry as an actress and singer, before becoming a high school drama and English teacher.
