VANCOUVER, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- With one gold and one silver, Shani Davis of the United States has finished his Winter Olympic Games and left in a mixed mood of bittersweet.
Davis, who won the men's 1,000 meters in 2006 Turin Olympic Games, competed in four events in Vancouver, including 500m, 1,000m, 1,500m and 5,000m.
The 27-year-old finished 12th in the 5,000m and quit the race 2 of the 500m before he retained his 1,000m title.
Davis's dream of becoming only the third man to achieve the 1,000-1,500 golden double, was crushed at the Richimond Olympic Oval here on Sunday when Mark Tuitert of the Netherlands clocked one minute 45.57 seconds in the 1,500m, 0.53 ahead of Davis.
Only Canada's Gaetan Boucher at the 1984 Sarajevo Olympic Games and American Eric Heiden in 1980 at Lake Placid had swept the two speed skating events.
Davis said his silver medal in the 1,500m made him feeling bittersweet.
"For the most part it kind of is because four years ago I found myself in the same situation in Torino. Four years later I trained really hard and I told myself it was now or never. I'm pumped up. And it's Silver medal again," he said.
Davis was one step away to achieve the double at the Torin, winning the 1,000m but conceding to silver behind Italy's Enrico Fabris in the 1,500.
"It's bittersweet but there's always someone out there who wishes to be in your shoes. It's a weird feeling but it could have been worse. I'm happy to have what I have."
Davis revealed at a press conference in the Main Press Center that he actually knew how fast he could be to win the event.
"I was the last pair and I knew exactly what I needed to do. I was very familiar with what I could do but just today the stars weren't aligned for me."
"This is just how the Olympics go, I guess. You can't get too far ahead of yourself, you can't underestimate your competitors or you might be really sad at the end of the day," Davis said.
After a silver in the 1,500m, Davis has closed his Vancouver trip and boosted more eager desire to be the King of 1,500m.
"I'm happy right now that my job is done. I'm extremely satisfied with my accomplishments. I really wanted that title in 1500m so badly."
"I want to be the king. Personally I don't like to think I would have quit had I won the race. I guess in the big scheme of things this is going to keep me going in the sport for another four years," Davis said.
Source:news.xinhuanet.com/
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