In the highly competitive world of swimming, where one stroke, when gone wrong, can mean the difference between gold and heartbreak, mental strength is vital. And training for that sort of pressure is no easy task. Recently, NCAA favorite Hubert Kos, who won the 200m backstroke Gold in Paris, spoke about the vitality of training. And not just training, but training with the best! Kos, much like Micheal Phelps and Leon Marchand, trains under Bob Bowman.

In a recent interview with SwimSwam, he went on to talk in-depth about Bowman’s training methods. Kos went on to shed light on how it has transformed the lives of many big names in swimming. “I’m not really that surprised again that we all did that well because Bob’s really pushed us so hard this year and really pushed us to levels that I thought I would never reach in training,” Kos shared. The training was so intense that it made the Olympics seem easy!

“It just allowed us to get to this level and to make basically the Olympics seem like they’re easy compared to practices, and I think that’s what helped me a lot going into this because I had the confidence what I needed to get the job done, and that’s really what I was missing before I went to train with Bob,” said Kos. The mysterious ways of Bob Bowman seem to be doing wonders for Kos, but he is not the only beneficiary!

Hubert Kos is not repeating the benefits of Bowman’s coaching alone. The 59-year-old has big names on his roster of prodigies, and his methods have brought a lot of Golds home this season. As Kos puts it, “Because we all know that what we’re doing, you know, it worked for Michael (Phelps), it worked for Leon, it worked for Chase(Kalisz), it worked for Regan (Smith), now it worked for me, now it worked for Allison Schmitt. You know, it worked for all these people.” It sure did work!

Leon Marchand went on to win four Golds at the Paris Olympics. Meanwhile, Regan went on to win two golds and three silvers. Oh, let’s not forget the 23 Olympic golds with Micheal Phelps. As Kos playfully puts it, “Somebody should calculate how many gold medals Bob has at the Olympics; it was probably above 30 or something now.” Despite having had one of the most glorious Olympic seasons, Bob Bowman is moving.

He is leaving behind the pools of Arizona State and moving to Texas. He is stepping into the role of Director of Swimming and Diving while also serving as head men’s coach. An exciting move for Bob but a not-so-exciting one for the swimmers training with him. So where does this move leave Hubert Kos?

Kos is to continue to train with Bob Bowman

Uncertainty might be in the air for a lot of swimmers, but not for Kos. He has decided to follow his coach all the way to Texas. He took to Instagram to announce the same. He wrote, “First and foremost, I would like to thank everyone at ASU. The coaches, the staff, the team, the lads, and everyone who helped me along the way. With that being said, I am incredibly excited to start a new chapter at the University of Texas, and looking forward to a successful season with my new team!” That move shows the world the impact Bowman has had on Kos. And he isn’t afraid to give credit where it is due, either.

“He’s so good at just getting us ready for these sort of things,” Kos explained. “A lot of people can get us ready for the swimming side, but I think the mental side is definitely where Bob also shines.” And that’s how Bob’s roster shines, too! Kos, too, has felt the impact of the training. “You know, just do your work and don’t chase the medals because the medals will come to you if you do what you’re supposed to,” said Kos summarising the philosophy that has got many winnings.

The Hubert Kos and Bob Bowman duo journey is only beginning. History has repeatedly shown us one thing: if one half of the duo is Bob, the other half makes history.