Davis hopes to return with medals this time

Published 12:00 am Thursday, August 9, 2001

Janice Davis was more than disappointed when she was unable to compete at an international track meet in Hungary last month due to a hip flexor injury.

&uot;I really hoped to run in that meet,&uot; said Davis. &uot;I wanted to be out there so bad. I cried for a couple hours.&uot;

But Davis, a 16-year-old junior at Natchez High, will get another chance to run on the international level. Next week, she will compete at a U.S.-Great Britain dual meet in Manchester, England, and then at an international meet in Edinburgh, Scotland. Davis will run in the 200-meter dash and the 4×100 meter relay, with a possibility to run in the 4×400 relay.

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&uot;I’m going to do the best I can do and bring back the gold for the U.S.,&uot; Davis said.

For the past month, Davis has taken things easy, hardly running at all. She just started training for next week’s international events this past week, running at 60-70 percent and &uot;taking it lightly,&uot; Davis said.

&uot;(The injury) shouldn’t affect me that much. My friends have run with far worse injuries than mine,&uot; she said.

Though Davis hasn’t practice much, she has been able to pick up some pointers. The World Championships are going on this week in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and Davis has been watching the top athletes.

&uot;I look at their techniques and form to improve myself,&uot; she said.

Davis is ranked in the top 15 in the world in three events: 11.44 in the 100 meters; 23.38 in the 200 meters; and 54.19 in the 400 meters.