David Michael Rhys Davies (born 3 March 1985) is a Welsh former competitive swimmer who has represented Wales at the Commonwealth Games, and swam for Great Britain in Olympic, World and European competition. He is the 2006 Commonwealth Games champion at 1500 metres freestyle and holds the rare distinction of having won medals in all six major long-course and short-course international championships available to him, including 2 x at the Olympic Games, 2 x at the World Championships, 1 x at the World Championships (25m), 1 x at the European Championships, 3x at the European Championships (25m) and finally 2x at the British Commonwealth Games.[1]
Throughout his career as an elite competitor, Davies focused on long-distance freestyle and open water events, as they required more demanding training than shorter freestyle events to achieve the level of endurance required to compete.[3][4]
At the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia, Davies won the 1,500 freestyle and was third in the 400 freestyle. In 2008, he finished second in the 1500 free at the 2008 Short Course Worlds.
As noted below, he represented Great Britain at the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympics.[4] As of the end of 2010, he held the British Records in the 400-, 800- and 1500-metre freestyle events.
2004 Bronze, Barcelona Olympics
At the 2004 Olympics, he placed third in the 1500 meter final with a time of 14:45.95. Despite a highly competitive eight person field, the 1500 meter final became a three-way contest between Grant Hackett of Australia, Larsen Jensen of the USA and Davies as the three-man group broke away from the rest of the field in the early race. Aussie Larsen Jenson gradually drew away from his two close pursuers in the late stages to maintain his 1500 meter title in Olympic record time. American Jensen held off Davies' challenge to take the silver. Although little known at event time, Grant Hackett was swimming despite suffering from a partially collapsed lung and was competing at only three-quarter capacity.[1]
2008 Silver, Athens Olympics
Davies represented Great Britain at the 2008 Olympics, swimming in both the pool competition and open water race. In the men's 1500m freestyle race, he finished 6th.[6] In the open-water 10K race in Beijing, Davies finished second, taking silver in the new Olympic event. Shortly after finishing the event, there was concern for Davies' state of health as First Aid staff rushed to stretcher him off for medical attention. Davies told the BBC shortly afterward: "For the last part of it I was delirious, I wanted it so bad. I've given it everything – the stretcher at the end was a bit mad but I've got something to show for it. I felt a bit violated to be honest, people swimming all over me, and the last lap was a real struggle.".[7]
2012 London Olympics
At the 2012 Olympics, after suffering from issues with his technique and form in 2011, Davies managed to qualify for the British team for the games in London. In the Olympic preliminaries, he was unable to make the 1,500 final, placing 16th in the stiff competition of the prelims with a time of 15:44.77.[1]
Three months after the London Olympics, Davies announced his retirement and began working as an athlete mentor with project Sport Wales.[1]
Legend: WR – World record;ER – European record;CR – Commonwealth record;NR – British record; Records not set in finals: h – heat;sf – semifinal;r – relay 1st leg;rh – relay heat 1st leg;b – B final;† – en route to final mark;tt – time trial
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