"Obviously, I love it (swimming). I really do love the training and racing. I love being in the water," Davis said via telephone from California Thursday, where he was conducting another clinic for Ultimate Technique Swim Clinic. "It is like my drug. I am addicted to it and do not feel right if I am not doing it every other day."
Maybe you don't remember Davis, but you should. He won three gold medals at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, something no one else did that year. To prove that was no fluke, he came back in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia, and won two silver medals. He just missed making the 2004 Olympic team.
He held the American 200-meter freestyle record until recently when Michael Phelps, considered the world's best all-around swimmer now, broke the mark.
Will bring the medal
"At least if somebody had to break it, I am glad it was him. He is an incredible athlete and good friend," Davis said.
Local swimmers are looking forward to seeing Davis Saturday. Sarah Holman, Centre assistant swim coach and coach of the Danville Aquatic Club, has already been impressed by Davis' accessibility.
"Olympic swimmers are reallly nice. They all seem to love to give back to their sport and want to help young swimmers develop their talent. We are really lucky to have someone like him coming here. That's why we had so many kids sign up that we decided to go with two sessions," Holman said.
Here's one more bonus for those who will be at the clinic. Davis will have his gold medal with him. That's right. His gold medal.
And it gets better. He doesn't mind letting young swimmers hold the medal or have their picture made with it (he's even promised that I can have a chance to have my picture with a real Olympic gold medal).
Don't worry about distracting Davis, either, if you come to the Centre pool for the clinic.
"People are more than welcome to watch me. But once I get in the pool, me and the kids will be going at it. Nothing will distract me when it comes to teaching kids about swimming," he said.
