 |  The pressure is off me and all on Grant Hackett |
Welsh swimmer David Davies was fastest qualifier in the 1500m freestyle heats with a personal best of 14:57.03. The 19-year-old took 0.9 seconds off the British record he set in the Olympic trials in April.
"It felt really good," said Davies. "I was the last guy to swim in the team so I have been itching all week.
"Going under 15 minutes in the heats has only been done once before, but hopefully I can go faster in Saturday's final. I have got nothing to lose."
Davies is ranked third in the world this year, behind Australian Grant Hackett and Larsen Jensen of the USA.
The Barry swimmer acknowledges the strength of Hackett's challenge, but says he has nothing to be frightened of.
"I'm 19 and hopefully this won't be my last Olympic experience, the pressure is off me and all on Hackett.
 Hackett claimed gold in Sydney four years ago |
"I regard him [Hackett] as one of the best athletes of all time with the best record in the world. "Football teams, athletes - they all get beaten, but he's maintained his status in this event for just so long.
"But he's got to perform well as a lot of good swimmers are here and I know I'm in good shape."
MMIX
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