Victor Davis

Biography

Victor Davis was born in Guelph, Ontario. As a boy, Davis learned how to swim in the lakes around his home. He then joined the Guelph Marlin Aquatic Club at the age of 12.

During his career, Davis held several world records as the winner of 31 national titles and 16 medals in international competition. At the 1982 world championships in Guayaquil, Ecuador, he set his first world record while winning the gold medal in the 200-metre breaststroke.

At the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California, he won a silver medal in the 100-meter breaststroke event, then captured the gold medal in the 200-metre breaststroke, in the process establishing another world record. In recognition of his accomplishments, Davis was named Swimming Canada's Athlete of the Year three times and the Canadian government made him a Member of the Order of Canada.

A star of Canada's national swim team for nine years, he retired from competitive swimming in July 1989. He was voted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 1985, Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 1990, and the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1994.

A few months after his retirement, on November 11, 1989 while outside a nightclub in the Montreal suburb of Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Davis was struck by a car whose driver fled the scene. It was later determined that, due to an earlier verbal altercation with the driver, Davis had walked to the middle of the road and was brandishing a juice bottle toward the car at the time he was struck. Two days later, the 25-year-old died of his injuries in hospital. In February 1992, Glen Crossley was found guilty of leaving the scene of an accident and sentenced to ten months in prison, ultimately serving four months.

Legacy

Davis's parents fulfilled his express wish that his organs be donated to help save the lives of others. The swimmer's heart, liver, kidneys and corneas were transplanted.

Each year since his death, awards are made by the Victor Davis Memorial Fund to help young Canadian swimmers continue their education while training in pursuit of excellence at the international level of competition. To date, more than 86 athletes have benefited from this award, and many of them have gone on to have successful swimming careers. Thirteen recipients of this award participated in the 2008 Summer Olympics. In 2002, Victor Davis was inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame.

In Guelph Ontario, the city named the 50m swimming pool in honour of Victor Davis. In June of 2017, the pool reopened after a year of renovations and there is a large mural recognizing Davis' swimming success.

Film

Davis's life, death and legacy were remembered in Victor, a two-hour biographical drama film that was written by the Canadian former swimmer Mark Lutz, who also appeared in the title role.

Career highlights

1982 World Aquatics Championships – Guayaquil, Ecuador

1982 Commonwealth Games – Brisbane, Australia

1984 Canadian Olympic Trials – Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada

1984 Summer Olympics – Los Angeles, United States

1986 Commonwealth Games – Edinburgh, Scotland

1986 World Aquatics Championships – Madrid, Spain

1988 Summer Olympics – Seoul, South Korea

Canadian National Championships (including separate trials meets)