Shani Davis is favoured to win the 1500m final tomorrow. The American won the Men’s 1000m and silver at the 1500m in Turin and has already won the gold for the 1000m at these games. He has odds of 12/25 to make it a double with betfair. Davis appears to be something of a middle distance skier, as he didn’t even finish in the top ten for the 500m and 5000m races. Also in the running is fellow American Chad Hedrick who came third in the Men’s 1000m. He finished one place better than Shani Davis in the 5000m. Hedrick has odds of 9/2 with bet365.
For those of you who are new to the Winter Olympics speed skating is a sport that began on the Dutch canals and used iron skates on wooden soles. It was used primarily used as a means of transportation. It is the single fastest sport in the world that is entirely human powered and has no mechanical properties. Many of the professionals who don’t live in areas cold enough for skating, including Shani Davis, start out rollerblading as a child. Speed skating takes place on a 400m rink similar to an athletics track. Athletes take part in pairs, racing each other but also trying to get the fastest time out of all the competitors.
Having the best acceleration and having a fast start is essential as it gives the athlete a huge advantage over the rest of the course because due to the lack of friction between the skates and the ice it is far easier to maintain high speed than build it up from scratch. It is an endurance event more than a sprint, so athletes are better at some different distamnce races than others, much like track events at the regular Olympics.
Speed Skating is not dissimilar in viewing to the cycling events Britain did so well in so those who are new to the Winter Olympics and are looking for some regularity should definitely give speed skating a watch.