Davies aims to avoid rough stuff

David Davies will head into the Beijing Olympics with the triple aim of winning two golds while avoiding the rough stuff in the 10,000m open-water event.

The Welshman will be the only male pool swimmer in the Games' new event. He is also a major medal hope in the 1500m.

Davies said: "There are always fists and elbows flying around in the 10k and sometimes you get a foot in you too.

"I'm pretty new to it and the best way for me to go about it is to stay out of trouble and swim from the front."

Davies likens the 10k to major cycling events in the way competitors race in a pack, adding: "It's massively different. You can't see where you're going for a start - you have to look up to see where you're going.

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But he says training for four laps around the 2.5k Games rowing lake will not take its toll on his bid for 1500m glory.

He said: "My training has been pretty hard core, doing around 8,000m per week, about 50 miles in 25 hours of training.

"Doing open-water swimming this year for the first time has meant my endurance has had to increase as well and I've done two open-water races.

"It's been new challenges, but I've got two events to do at the Olympics and I'm really excited about it."

Davies admits he was enticed into trying out the 10k by British swimming bosses, who offered him the chance to get a tan in South Africa in January.

"They said I could go to South Africa have a nice sun tan and then to the 10k race in the lake," said Loughborough-based Davies.

"They said if I didn't like it I could get out and if I did well I could carry on doing it. I was a bit nervous and apprehensive because I didn't want it to affect anything and it felt great.

"I took to it really well and it hasn't affected my 1500 training either so the two events can work.

"I qualified for the world championships in Seville in May and got a silver medal and because in the Games it's after the 1500m it's ideal because I can train for the 1500.

"The 10k is a bonus event after the 1500m and a I've got a good chance in that as well so I'm excited about it."