The same year, at the age of 28, Davis made the U.S. Olympic team.
He ran his fastest time to date one week before participating in the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome as one of the oldest members of the track team, where he was nicknamed "Pops" by his teammates.
According to Davis, "I was still learning how to turn with the staggered starts and all.
I was still learning the strategy involved.
I was still learning how to run in the lanes."

Davis competed against the heavily favored German athlete Carl Kaufmann, who was the world record holder in the 400-meter dash.
Davis won by a hair over Kaufmann, setting a world record of 44.9 seconds and becoming the first man to break the heralded 45-second barrier.
The photo of the finish, with (in full horizontal dive position) Kaufmann's nose ahead of Davis, but his torso behind, has been studied and discussed by track and field officials for years.
Both athletes were awarded the world record time, recorded in the 10ths of a second in those days, but Davis was awarded the win.
Two days later, Davis and Kaufmann met again for the 4 × 400 m relay final.
He held off the challenge, anchoring home the gold with another world record performance of 3:02.2.
The photo of the finish of that race was also made famous in Life magazine.

It was also at the 1960 games that Davis met and became friends with Muhammad Ali.
Davis comments, "Boy, you think I talk a lot, but I couldn't get a word in with him.
And since he's a boxer and I'm a runner, I couldn't really argue with that.
We just kind of gelled."
The same year, at the age of 28, Davis made the U.S. Olympic team. He ran his fastest time to date one week before participating in the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome as one of the oldest members of the track team, where he was nicknamed "Pops" by his teammates. According to Davis, "I was still learning how to turn with the staggered starts and all. I was still learning the strategy involved. I was still learning how to run in the lanes."
Davis competed against the heavily favored German athlete Carl Kaufmann, who was the world record holder in the 400-meter dash. Davis won by a hair over Kaufmann, setting a world record of 44.9 seconds and becoming the first man to break the heralded 45-second barrier. The photo of the finish, with (in full horizontal dive position) Kaufmann's nose ahead of Davis, but his torso behind, has been studied and discussed by track and field officials for years. Both athletes were awarded the world record time, recorded in the 10ths of a second in those days, but Davis was awarded the win. Two days later, Davis and Kaufmann met again for the 4 × 400 m relay final. He held off the challenge, anchoring home the gold with another world record performance of 3:02.2. The photo of the finish of that race was also made famous in Life magazine.
It was also at the 1960 games that Davis met and became friends with Muhammad Ali. Davis comments, "Boy, you think I talk a lot, but I couldn't get a word in with him. And since he's a boxer and I'm a runner, I couldn't really argue with that. We just kind of gelled."
Otis Davis