Joey Cheek
Encyclopedia
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William Joseph Cheek (born June 22, 1979, in Greensboro
, North Carolina
) is an American
speed skater
and former inline speed skater
. He specializes in the short and middle distances.
in Salt Lake City, where he won the bronze medal in the 1,000 meters and just missed the podium in the 1,500 meters by 0.08 seconds.
In 2003 he won a bronze medal at the World Single Distance Championships
in Berlin
in the 1,000- and 1,500-meter events. Both distances at that tournament were won by Dutch
speed skater Erben Wennemars
. In 2005, Cheek made the podium for the first time in the World Sprint Championships, again behind Wennemars.
On January 22, 2006, in Heerenveen
, Cheek became world sprint champion. On aggregate he beat Dmitry Dorofeyev
of Russia
and Jan Bos
of the Netherlands.
At the 2006 Winter Olympics
in Turin, Italy, Cheek won the men's 500-meter event in dominating style, recording a two-run total time of 1:09.76. That time was 0.65 seconds faster than runner-up Dorofeyev, and Cheek was the only competitor to break the 35-second mark in the competition, doing so in both of his runs (34.82 and 34.94). Cheek's time in the first 500-meter race is an unofficial world record for the fastest 500 meters ever at an ice rink at sea level. He went on to win silver in the 1,000-meter race, finishing just behind teammate Shani Davis
.
He was elected by his teammates to carry the US flag into the closing ceremonies. Near the end of NBC
's coverage of the event, commentator Bob Costas
noted that Cheek's application to Harvard University
had not been accepted and lobbied the Dean of Admissions to reconsider the decision. Cheek is now a senior at Princeton University
.
Cheek planned to attend the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in support of athletes on Team Darfur
. His visa was revoked by the Chinese embassy hours before he intended to leave for China.
Cheek attended James B. Dudley High School
in Greensboro, North Carolina
, and is currently attending Princeton University
as a member of the class of 2011, where he studies economics and the Chinese language
.
On Tuesday, August 12, 2008, Cheek appeared on the Colbert Report and discussed Sino-Sudanese relations.
In 2010, Cheek was inducted in to The World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame because of his humanitarian work with Team Darfur.
, an international coalition of athletes committed to raising awareness about and bringing an end to the crisis in Darfur, Sudan.
At a press conference after the Olympic 500-meter race, Cheek said that he decided to donate his USOC gold medal bonus ($25,000) to Right to Play
, an athlete-driven international humanitarian organization formed by former Olympic champion Johann Olav Koss
of Norway
. Cheek challenged others to make similar pledges to the organization. He subsequently donated his prize money from the 1,000-meter race ($15,000) to the same organization.
Since his donation others have joined in and over $390,000 has been contributed to this cause.
William Joseph Cheek (born June 22, 1979, in Greensboro
Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
speed skater
Speed skating
Speed skating, or speedskating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors race each other in traveling a certain distance on skates. Types of speed skating are long track speed skating, short track speed skating, and marathon speed skating...
and former inline speed skater
Inline speed skating
Inline speed skating is the sport of racing on inline skates It is often called inline racing by participants. Although it primarily evolved from racing on traditional roller skates, the sport is similar enough to ice speed skating that many competitors are now known to switch between inline and...
. He specializes in the short and middle distances.
Accomplishments
Cheek's breakthrough was in the 2002 Winter Olympics2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
in Salt Lake City, where he won the bronze medal in the 1,000 meters and just missed the podium in the 1,500 meters by 0.08 seconds.
In 2003 he won a bronze medal at the World Single Distance Championships
World Single Distance Championships
The World Single Distance Championships are a series of speed skating competitions organised by the International Skating Union.-History:Since the late 19th century, speed skating championships were always decided by racing multiple distances – four different distances for the allround...
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
in the 1,000- and 1,500-meter events. Both distances at that tournament were won by Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
speed skater Erben Wennemars
Erben Wennemars
Egbert Rolf Wennemars is a Dutch former speed skater. He specialized in the sprint and middle distances of 500, 1000 and 1500 meters.-Speed skating career:...
. In 2005, Cheek made the podium for the first time in the World Sprint Championships, again behind Wennemars.
On January 22, 2006, in Heerenveen
Heerenveen
Heerenveen is a town in the Heerenveen municipality of the province of Friesland , in the north of the Netherlands.- History :The town was established in 1551 by three lords as a location for the purpose of digging peat which was used for fuel, hence the name...
, Cheek became world sprint champion. On aggregate he beat Dmitry Dorofeyev
Dmitry Dorofeyev
Dmitry Anatolyevich Dorofeyev is a speed skater. Dmitry Dorofeyev won a silver medal in the 500 m at the 2006 Winter Olympics. His second place finish was Russia's first Olympic speed skating medal since 1994. He placed tenth in the 1,000 m event...
of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and Jan Bos
Jan Bos
Jan Bos is a Dutch speedskater and sprint cyclist.In 1998 he became world champion sprint and he won the silver medal that year on the 1000 meter sprint during the Winter Olympics in Nagano....
of the Netherlands.
At the 2006 Winter Olympics
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
in Turin, Italy, Cheek won the men's 500-meter event in dominating style, recording a two-run total time of 1:09.76. That time was 0.65 seconds faster than runner-up Dorofeyev, and Cheek was the only competitor to break the 35-second mark in the competition, doing so in both of his runs (34.82 and 34.94). Cheek's time in the first 500-meter race is an unofficial world record for the fastest 500 meters ever at an ice rink at sea level. He went on to win silver in the 1,000-meter race, finishing just behind teammate Shani Davis
Shani Davis
Shani Davis is an Olympic Champion speed skater from the United States.At the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, Davis became the first Black athlete to win a gold medal in an individual sport at the Olympic Winter Games . He also won the silver in the 1,500 m...
.
He was elected by his teammates to carry the US flag into the closing ceremonies. Near the end of NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's coverage of the event, commentator Bob Costas
Bob Costas
Robert Quinlan "Bob" Costas is an American sportscaster, on the air for the NBC network since the early 1980s.-Early life:...
noted that Cheek's application to Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
had not been accepted and lobbied the Dean of Admissions to reconsider the decision. Cheek is now a senior at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
.
Cheek planned to attend the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in support of athletes on Team Darfur
Team Darfur
Team Darfur is an international association of athletes devoted to raising awareness of humanitarian crises related to War in Darfur. It is among the many organizations that consider the War to involve genocide....
. His visa was revoked by the Chinese embassy hours before he intended to leave for China.
Personal life
Cheek picked up speed skating after meeting and watching neighborhood friend Bryan Anderson skate around the neighborhood training for Nationals. After years of skating with Bryan, his brother, and other Piedmont skaters he switched to ice speed skating.Cheek attended James B. Dudley High School
James B. Dudley High School
James Benson Dudley High School is located in the Southeastern quadrant of Guilford County in the city of Greensboro, North Carolina. Dudley High School was founded in 1929 as the first black high school in Guilford County, in a school system segregated by law...
in Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S...
, and is currently attending Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
as a member of the class of 2011, where he studies economics and the Chinese language
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
.
On Tuesday, August 12, 2008, Cheek appeared on the Colbert Report and discussed Sino-Sudanese relations.
In 2010, Cheek was inducted in to The World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame because of his humanitarian work with Team Darfur.
Philanthropy
Cheek is the co-founder and president of Team DarfurTeam Darfur
Team Darfur is an international association of athletes devoted to raising awareness of humanitarian crises related to War in Darfur. It is among the many organizations that consider the War to involve genocide....
, an international coalition of athletes committed to raising awareness about and bringing an end to the crisis in Darfur, Sudan.
At a press conference after the Olympic 500-meter race, Cheek said that he decided to donate his USOC gold medal bonus ($25,000) to Right to Play
Right to Play
Right To Play is an international humanitarian organization that uses sport and play programs to improve health, develop life skills, and foster peace for children and communities in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the world...
, an athlete-driven international humanitarian organization formed by former Olympic champion Johann Olav Koss
Johann Olav Koss
Johann Olav Koss is a former speed skater from Norway, considered to be one of the best in history, and current assistant coach of Norway's speed skating team.-Biography:...
of Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. Cheek challenged others to make similar pledges to the organization. He subsequently donated his prize money from the 1,000-meter race ($15,000) to the same organization.
Since his donation others have joined in and over $390,000 has been contributed to this cause.
