Born in Guelph in 1964, Victor Davis went on to become the greatest swimmer this city has ever produced. He joined the Guelph Marlins swim team in 1974 and continued swimming through his days at Centennial High School.
Victor set his first World Record at the 1982 World Championships in Equador with a gold medal in the 200-metre breast stroke. He followed that with a silver in the 100-metre breast. That same year, and again in 1986, he repeated his gold-silver effort at the Commonwealth Games.
His grandest moment was at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics when he set another World Record in the 200-metre breast stroke winning the gold medal. He added two more silver medals (100-metre breast and 4×100 relay). Returning to the Olympic stage four years later in Seoul, he won another silver in the relay.
In 1990 he was inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame, the Aquatic Hall of Fame in 1992 and Guelph’s largest public pool is named in his honour.
Victor’s life came to a tragic end on November 11, 1989 when he was struck and killed by a car, just outside of Montreal. His fighting spirit and will to win live on.
Inducted into the Guelph Sports Hall of Fame – June 2, 1993
