Detroit Free Press Jo-Ann Barnas column: Burns haven't hindered Tarwater.(Davis Tarwater)(Club Wolverine)(Column)

Byline: Jo-Ann Barnas

Feb. 14--As bad as it was, Club Wolverine swimmer Davis Tarwater knew it could have been much worse. Tarwater suffered second-degree burns on his right arm and hand two weeks ago when he tried to extinguish a grease fire on his kitchen stove. At first he tried to smother the flames with flour. But when that didn't work, the Knoxville native -- who was making fried chicken -- acted on instinct and did what he shouldn't have done: He grabbed the flaming skillet and took it outside.

"As I was running, that's how I got burned," he said. Fortunately, the injury hasn't affected Tarwater's training as he prepares for this weekend's USA Swimming Grand Prix meet in Columbia, Mo., the final tune-up before next month's world championships in Melbourne, Australia.

"It was just pain at first," he said of the …