DAVIS Leo

General
EUROPEAN BASE
During the COVID-19 pandemic, he was based in both Italy and France, and says he was fortunate to compete in the 2021 Finn Gold Cup in Porto, Portugal, where he secured a quota place for South Africa for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. "I was uncertain that I would be able to attend the event until the restrictions eased a few days before I travelled from Italy. If I were travelling from South Africa, I don't think it would have been possible for me to attend, at least not without a long quarantine in Portugal." (teamsa.co.za, 01 Jun 2021)

SWITCHING SPORTS
After four years training with South Africa's high-performance rowing squad, he switched his focus to sailing in 2018 with the aim of qualifying for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. "Luckily I had been sailing at a very high level before rowing took over and I managed to keep sailing whenever my rowing training allowed, so getting back to professional sailing was an easy transition. Rowing and sailing are both leg-orientated and highly physical sports. Many professional sailors utilise the rowing machine in their cross training as the downwind pumping resembles the rowing stroke and is great for a cardiovascular training tool. I was able to use all the knowledge about nutrition, training programmes, recovery and adaptation that I learnt from the national rowing team to assist my sailing training and racing. I feel that the way an athlete approaches their sport and their mindset to achieve is transferable between all sports and other aspects of life." (teamsa.co.za, 01 Jun 2021)

OLYMPIC INSPIRATION
He says he was inspired to participate in the Olympic Games by his father Greg, who coached South African sailor Ian Ainslie at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, and will serve as his coach at the 2020 Games in Tokyo. "From when I was a child, I would try on my dad's Olympic kit and imagine wearing the South African colours at the Games, so to do that together [with his father's presence in Tokyo] would be very emotional. I'm really excited to have qualified South Africa for the Olympics. It has been my dream since I can remember to represent my country at the top level." (teamsa.co.za, 01 Jun 2021)