Josh Davis (swimmer)

Joshua Clark Davis (born September 1, 1972) is an American former competition swimmer, Olympic gold medalist, and former world record-holder. Davis represented the United States at two consecutive Summer Olympics.

Josh Davis
Davis signing autographs, c. 2005
Personal information
Full nameJoshua Clark Davis
National teamUnited States
Born (1972-09-01) September 1, 1972
San Antonio, Texas
Height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight185 lb (84 kg)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesFreestyle
College teamUniversity of Texas

Margaret Swan Forbes taught him how to swim.[1]

College and international career

He attended the University of Texas at Austin, where he swam for coach Eddie Reese's Texas Longhorns swimming and diving team in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) competition.

At the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, he won gold medals by swimming for the winning U.S. teams in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay and 4×200-meter freestyle relay. He earned a third gold medal by swimming for the first-place U.S. team in the preliminary heats of the 4×100-meter medley relay. He also competed in the 200-meter freestyle, and finished seventh in the event final with a time of 1:48.54.

Four years later at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, he served as the captain of the U.S. swimming team. At the 2000 Olympics, he won silver medals swimming for the second-place U.S. teams in the preliminary heats of the 4×100-meter freestyle relay, and the final of the 4×200-meter freestyle relay. He again competed in the 200-meter freestyle, finishing in fourth place in the final with a time of 1:46.73.

He also swam for the U.S. national team at:

  • World Championships: 1994, 1998
  • Pan American Games: 1995
  • Pan Pacific Championships: 1993, 1997, 1999
  • World University Games: 1995
  • Short Course Worlds: 2000

Life outside competitive swimming

Completed in 2001, the newer natatorium at North East independent school District's Virgil T. Blossom Athletic Center (the district where Davis attended school) in San Antonio was named in his honor.[2]

In February 2009 four of Davis' Olympic medals—three gold medals and one silver medal—were stolen from his car after he returned from a swim clinic in St. Louis.[3] On February 13, 2009, cleanup crews found the medals outside one of the Salvation Army's Boys and Girls Clubs in San Antonio. The medals were returned to Davis at a news conference later that night.[4]

On June 1, 2016, Davis was named as the first coach of Oklahoma Christian University's swimming programs, charged with building men's and women's teams for competition that will begin with the 2017-18 season. It is Davis' first collegiate coaching job.[5][6] Oklahoma Christian University is one of three universities in Oklahoma offering intercollegiate swimming.[7]

Davis and his wife Shantel live in Edmond, Oklahoma, and have six children.[8]

See also

References
  1. "Margaret Swan Forbes — Texas Swimming & Diving Hall of Fame". Tsdhof.org. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  2. Josh Davis Natatorium to be Dedicated Archived August 29, 2012, at the Wayback Machine Lane 9 News, May 10, 2001
  3. US Swimmer Josh Davis Reports Stolen Medals SI.com, February 11, 2009
  4. US Swimmer Josh Davis Olympic Medals Found and Returned sports.yahoo.com, February 13, 2009
  5. http://www.oceagles.com/staff.aspx?staff=62
  6. http://www.oc.edu/stories/content/oc-adds-swimming-olympic-champ-to-coach-teams
  7. http://www.talon.news/sports/new-swim-coach-brings-olympic-podium-to-campus/
  8. http://www.oceagles.com/staff.aspx?staff=62
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