13 March 2011 – INZELL, GERMANY
Capping off another stellar season, World and Olympic Champion Shani Davis led his teammates to the U.S.’s first ever Team Pursuit gold medal at the 2011 World Championships.
Shani, Jonathan Kuck and Trevor Marsicano defeated top teams from Canada, host Germany, and defending champs The Netherlands. The U.S. won the 8 lap event in 3:41.72, just .13 ahead of the Canadian threesome. It was the first time a team other than The Netherlands won the event since its debut at the 2005 Championships.
With Shani in the lineup the U.S. trio went undefeated in Team Pursuit races this season, including two decisive wins on the World Cup circuit. The U.S. Team’s previous best World Championship finish – without Shani – had been a Bronze medal in 2009.
The victory concluded a record-breaking meet for Davis, who won an unprecedented third 1000m World Championship on Friday to go along with a Silver in the 1500m Championship. Earlier in the day Sunday, the middle-distance king added an impressive top-10 finish in the 500m against the world’s top sprinters.
In addition to his 1000m crown, Shani finishes the season as the 2010-2011 Overall 1500m World Cup Champion and U.S. Sprint and Allround Champion.
[Photo by Martin de Jong | Additional photos in the Photo Gallery]
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