Moorhouse tips Davies for 10k win

Grant Hackett will be David Davies' main rival in the 1500m freestyle

David Davies has been tipped for medal glory at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing by British swimming great Adrian Moorhouse.

Moorhouse, who won breaststroke gold in the 100m at Seoul 1988, expects Davies to perform well in the 1500m freestyle.

But he believes the Welshman's best chance of a gold medal should come in the inaugural 10k open water event.

"I think David's got a medal chance in both races, but he could be stronger outside the pool," Moorhouse said.

"He could catch a few people by surprise, although he's showed he's world class at it (the 10k)."

At 1500m Davies will be going up against the likes of defending champion Grant Hackett, who is bidding to become the first swimmer ever to win three consecutive 1500m Olympic gold medals.

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The Australian holds the world record - setting 14min 34.56sec in Fukuoka, Japan in 2001 - as well as the Olympic record of 14:43.40.

That was set four years ago in Athens in a thrilling final that saw Davies claim bronze in a personal best of 14:45.90 - a long course British record - with American Larsen Jensen taking silver.

Another threat to Davies will be home favourite Zhang Lin, who took more than three seconds off his own national record in China's 1500m Olympic trials in April as he swum 14:55.98.

"In the pool, the 1500m is going to be a really hard race - there are a lot of guys, over eight people, who can go under 15 minutes and it's going to be a real scrap," Moorhouse said.

"Whereas the open water... I mean Grant Hackett wasn't good enough to qualify for it, David qualified for it and Hackett didn't even though he went for it.

"So David has got something there and I think it's a great medal to try and win, he's got a great chance even though he's playing it down."