Olympic gold medalist turns firefighter to battle California wildfires still burning
David Waters, ex. University of Texas He made headlines as a swimmer when he won gold for Team USA at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Nearly two decades later, his name resurfaces, but for entirely different reasons.
Walters, who has been a firefighter in Los Angeles for nearly 10 years, is one of more than 7,500 fire and emergency personnel working to contain the blazes. devastating wildfires is raging across Southern California this week.
FILE – (LR) Erik Vendt, Ricky Berens and David Walters on Day 4 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in August at the National Aquatics Center Cheering for Klete Keller during the final leg of the men’s 4 x 200m freestyle relay in Japan on December 12, 2008, in Beijing, China. The American team won the championship with a time of 7 minutes, 04.66 seconds and set a new Olympic record. (Jed Jacobson/Getty Images)
The former Olympian was recently interviewed news nation He recounted the disaster after finishing his shift two days in a row, the outlet reported.
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“We’re pretty much trying to keep what’s left intact,” said a tired Waters. “So, we’re not going to lie down. We’re going to stay where we are – and that’s right, I did sleep on a hose bed last night, just getting ready to do what else we can do.”
FILE – David Walters of the United States competes during the men’s 4 x 200 meter freestyle relay preliminaries at the National Aquatics Center on Day 4 of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on August 12, 2008 in Beijing, China. game. (Albello/Getty Images)
Multiple wildfires have killed at least 10 people and forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes. About 10,000 structures have burned from the Pacific Coast to Pasadena as strong winds continue to fan the fires.
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The largest fire in Pacific Palisades started on Tuesday and officials said late Thursday that the fire was 6% contained.
“I feel very sorry for the residents who live here,” Waters continued.
Firefighters battle the Kenneth Fire in the West Hills area of Los Angeles on Thursday, January 9, 2025. (Ethan Swope/Associated Press)
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“We did try our best, but we still got kicked. We are resting now and we are all trying to replenish our nutrition and health so that we can stay active.”
The 37-year-old Waters won the gold medal in the men’s 4 x 200m freestyle relay, setting an Olympic record at the time with a time of 7 minutes, 04.66 seconds. This is his only Olympic appearance. That same year, he won his first NCAA individual championship in the men’s 200-meter freestyle competition.
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