Deja Vu for Josh Davis: Olympic Medal Missing at ASCA Clinic — Update: Medal Returned Four Hours Later

LAS VEGAS, Nevada, September 6. ONE of the three gold medals Josh Davis won at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics went missing at the American Swimming Coaches Association's world clinic today, marking the second time in a little more than three years that he has dealt with the loss of the priceless items.

Davis reported the theft earlier today via Twitter around 10:30 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time, then confirmed to Swimming World that one of the three gold medals he had on display at the Mutual of Omaha Breakout Swim Clinic booth mysteriously disappeared. Davis said the medal vanished in a matter of seconds during a rush of admirers who had come to the booth.

“It knocks the wind out of your sails,” Davis told Swimming World. “You want to share them with the world. You don't want to keep them locked up somewhere.”

Update: Davis sent a Twitter announcement at 3 p.m. Pacific time, about four hours after the medal was first reported missing: “Medal was returned by someone who didn't realize it was an Olympic medal. Thought it was a giveaway item. #postersonly”

Davis previously had all three of his 1996 medals stolen from his car in San Antonio in February 2009, but they were returned a couple of days later anonymously at a Salvation Army store.

Davis won his three gold medals in all three relays in Atlanta. He won two more as a member of the 400 free relay (prelim) and 800 free relay in Sydney in 2000. In addition to once holding the American record in the 200-meter freestyle, Davis was a standout swimmer for the University of Texas from 1991 to 1994.

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