OLYMPIAN DAVIES LOOKS TO OPEN WATER POSSIBILITY
Olympic medallist Dave Davies is set to swap the pool for
the open waters of a South African Dam as he looks to the
possibility of competing in the inaugural 10km event at next
summer's Beijing Olympics.
The distance swimmer, who took bronze at this year's World
Championships in the 1500m Freestyle, will compete in his
first ever open water race at the South African National Championships
in February and the City of Cardiff athlete is going with
an open mind.
Since the 10km event's inclusion on the Olympic programme,
many pool-based distance swimmers have tested the waters of
the endurance swim as they eye the possibility of competing
in Beijing.
For Davies, South Africa provides an opportunity to sample
the demanding event.
"I've never swam open water so it's difficult to know
what to expect," said Davies "It's a complete unknown
- it could go very well or it could go very badly. I just
don't know at this stage but I'm prepared to give it a go.
"Open water is totally different from swimming in a
pool. It's a very demanding event in what can be extremely
challenging environments and I have total respect for those
that have a background in the sport.
"I've spoken a great deal with Britain's Alan Bircher,
who has a great international record in the sport, and he's
given me a lot of information but it's an event that you can
only experience by actually swimming it."
Davies will use the event to see if he can adapt to the rigours
of open water before he makes any decisions on whether to
pursue the event as part of his Olympic plan.
"At this stage I can't make any commitments I simply
need to see how I take to open water swimming," explained
Davies.
"South Africa is going to provide an opportunity for
me to see if I like it and take to it. There's been interest
in the open water event from a lot of international distance
swimmers since it was adopted by the Olympics but I'm just
researching the possibility at the moment."
Whatever the outcome in February, and Davies' subsequent
decision on whether to try to qualify for the Olympics in
the 10km, he is firm on the fact that his ultimate goal lies
within the pool.
"I'm interested in the event obviously but I've got
seven years of hard work behind me focused on the 1500m Freestyle
and that's where my priority lies. There's no question of
shifting emphasis, the 1500m is everything to me.
"On the other hand, I don't want Beijing to come and
go, and I'm left wondering what might have been. South Africa
will give me that yes or no indicator as to the possibility
of including open water in my Olympic plan.
"If I swim well, finish highly and enjoy it then I'll
sit down to see if the 10km is a real possibility but it would
be in addition to my main event and wouldn't get in the way
of that."
Davies has spent the past six weeks training intensively
on the Gold Coast in Australia where he is putting together
a foundation of work that will set him up for an Olympic year
in which the demands are so much higher.
"Training in Australia has been going very well,"
said Davies. "I'll return at the start of the year, continue
the good work in Loughborough and then head for a camp in
South Africa before competing in the open water.
"It's an exciting prospect for me. It's new and totally
different but because it's so unique I have no expectations
or targets for myself. We'll just have to see how it goes
and then make a decision on whether to target Olympic qualification."
Davies will swim the event independently of a selected British
squad of eight including World Championship silver medallist
Cassie Patten (Stockport Metro). The squad will use the event
to qualify for the 5th FINA World Open Water Championships
in Seville (3rd May) where athletes will aim to qualify for
the Beijing Olympics.
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