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.
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 ISD's Virgil T. Blossom Athletic Center (the district where Davis attended school) in San Antonio was named in his honor.
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. 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.
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. Oklahoma Christian University is currently the only college in Oklahoma offering intercollegiate swimming.
Davis and his wife Shantel live in Edmond, Oklahoma, and have six children.
See also
Bill Boomer, swimming coach
List of multiple Olympic gold medalists
List of multiple Olympic gold medalists at a single Games
List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men) List of University of Texas at Austin alumni List of World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming (men) World record progression 4 × 200 metres freestyle relay
References
External links
US Olympic Committee
SanAntonioSports.com
Josh Davis homepage
1972 births
Living people
American male freestyle swimmers
World record setters in swimming
Medalists at the FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) Olympic gold medalists for the United States in swimming Olympic silver medalists for the United States in swimming Sportspeople from San Antonio Swimmers at the 1995 Pan American Games Swimmers at the 1996 Summer Olympics Swimmers at the 2000 Summer Olympics Texas Longhorns men's swimmers World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming Medalists at the 2000 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1996 Summer Olympics Pan American Games gold medalists for the United States Pan American Games bronze medalists for the United States Pan American Games medalists in swimming Universiade medalists in swimming Goodwill Games medalists in swimming Oklahoma Christian Eagles and Lady Eagles swimming coaches FISU World University Games gold medalists for the United States Universiade silver medalists for the United States Universiade bronze medalists for the United States Medalists at the 1991 Summer Universiade Medalists at the 1995 Summer Universiade Competitors at the 1998 Goodwill Games Medalists at the 1995 Pan American Games Swimmers from Texas