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HR0987 |
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LRB094 19829 RAS 56887 r |
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| HOUSE RESOLUTION
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| WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of |
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| Representatives are pleased to honor the accomplishments of |
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| residents of Illinois; and
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| WHEREAS, Speed skater Shani Davis won a gold medal in the |
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| 2006 Torino Winter Olympics; he finished the Men's 1000 meter |
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| speed skating race in 1:08.89 minutes, 0.27 seconds ahead of |
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| his closest competitor and ahead of 40 other athletes; and
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| WHEREAS, Shani Davis became the first African-American man |
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| to claim a gold medal in Winter Olympic history; and
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| WHEREAS, Shani Davis was born on August 13, 1982 on the |
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| south side of Chicago to Cherie Davis and began his remarkable |
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| career at age two and a half when his mother took him roller |
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| skating at a neighborhood rink; and
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| WHEREAS, Cherie Davis moved her family to the north side |
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| Rogers Park neighborhood when Shani was ten years old so that |
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| Shani could sharpen his skating skills in the Evanston |
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| Speedskating Club at Evanston's Robert Crown Community Center; |
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| and
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| WHEREAS, The success of Shani Davis is a testament to |
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| community support and especially to the motivation and |
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| sacrifice of Cherie Davis; and
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| WHEREAS, Shani Davis has a distinguished record, winning |
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| five National Age Group Speedskating Championships in 1995, |
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| 1997, 1999, 2000, and 2003; the North American Championship in |
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| 1999; the 2002 Junior Country Match; the 2002 Junior World |
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| Championships; his third straight U.S. Long Track Championship |
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| during the 2004-2005 season; and the 2005 World Allround |
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| Championship; he also set the World Record for Men's 1000 meter |