12 Facts About Dave Travis

David Howard Travis was born on 9 September 1945 and was a British javelin thrower.

Dave Travis competed at the 1968 and 1972 summer Olympics in the javelin and won a gold medal in the 1967 World Student Games and the 1970 Commonwealth Games.

Dave Travis was an international athlete from 1965 to 1978 and the British record holder for 4 years.

Dave Travis was born in Strawberry Hill, south west London, in 1945 and lived for the first eleven years in East Twickenham, subsequently moving to Hinchley Wood near Esher.

Dave Travis attended Hampton Grammar School from 1957 to 1964 where his talent for sport was nurtured.

Dave Travis excelled at school athletics in a variety of events, making his debut at the English Schools Championships in 1960, placing second in the under 15 shot.

Dave Travis left secondary school with national status in three disciplines: javelin, decathlon and rugby.

Dave Travis went on to study at Loughborough College from 1965 to 1968, gaining a Teaching Qualification and a First Class Diploma.

Dave Travis was coached at the time by Colin Smith, hitherto Britain's most successful javelin thrower at international level.

Dave Travis combined rugby with athletics at school and reached the top representative level.

Dave Travis represented Loughborough Colleges in 1965 playing outside the legendary Welsh player Gerald Davis but he halted his career that year to concentrate on athletics.

Dave Travis's guidance helped Dave Ottley to a silver medal at the 1984 Olympic Games and launched John Trower as a high level coach who would go on to assist Steve Backley and Mick Hill to international titles.