Jordan Davis has transformed himself as a swimmer this season. The extra work in the weight room has paid off.
The Wilmington High School senior competes in two events in the OHSAA Div. II State Swimming Championship at Canton’s CT Branin Natatorium. He’ll go in the preliminary heats today in the 100-yard butterfly and then in the 100-yard backstroke.
In the butterfly Davis is seeded fourth with a time of 49.9, based on last week’s statewide district meets. In the 100 back, Davis’ time of 50.47 last week has him seeded third.
Davis’ previous state resume includes last season finishing seventh in the 100 freestyle (46.99) and 10th in the 100 backstroke (52.46); and in 2019-20 placing ninth in the 100 free (47.72) and ninth in the 100 back (53.22).
So why the butterfly this season?
“This year, I’ve been lifting more than in the past and training for sprints such as 100 free, 100 fly, 100 back,” said Davis, who noted Old Dominion University is the leader to get his services next season at the collegiate level. “It is currently my belief that this training, combined with my strong underwaters, will bring great performance in the 100 fly, which is more strength based than the 100 freestyle.”
As a freshman at WHS, Davis swam both the individual medley (IM) and the butterfly. With the IM, all four strokes are used — freestyle, backstroke, butterfly, breaststroke.
“I did not make it to state that year but it led to a rethinking of my strategy,” said Davis.
The next two years, Davis dropped his time in both the 100 free and 100 back and had good success with each at Canton.
With a sprinter’s mentality and added strength, Davis has not only a state-caliber, strength-based stroke in the butterfly to his repertoire but improved his backstroke time as well, from 52.46 at last year’s state to 50.47 this year going in to state.
A strong technician in the water, Davis believes his transition at the wall is one of his strong suits that keeps him ahead of his competition.
”I’d say that I’m a great swimmer due to both my natural talent and my great work ethic in the pool,” he said. “I never miss a practice, I wake up two or three times a week for morning practices and I work my absolute hardest every day. I’d also say that my underwaters off the walls are very strong, which gives me a great competitive advantage.”
He’ll need all of those traits to be clicking today and Friday as he bids for a pair of state championships.
“I expect to drop time, get stronger, and make a memorable end to my high school career during championship season,” he said. “I expect to drop another half second at prelims and then bring it home with a finals time at least a second faster than the times I went at districts. I’ve put in the work this year, both in the pool and in the weight room. I expect to be at least top three in both of my events.”
