“Bob Is Going To Drop a Bomb on Me”: 20-Year-Old Michael Phelps Was Scared Coach Bob Bowman Would Punish Him for Out-Bursting Behavior After Losing

Michael Phelps, the legendary swimmer swam past fears, insecurities, challenges, and discomfort to emerge as a champion of all sorts. From a kid who didn’t like getting wet to becoming a 28-time Olympic medallist swimmer, his story is a blend of a myriad of emotions. Blessed with natural talent, his coach Bob Bowman pledged to nurture them to an elite level. Phelps, though, was not simple.

Bob indeed sculpted a world-class swimmer in Phelps from the age of 11. He, on the other hand, made the coach-champion duo a very unique one. He would challenge Bob. Conversely, he also displayed respect and fear for his coach. This brings to mind the 20-year-old ‘Flying Fish’ who exerted his disappointment with harsh behavior and expressed its consequences.

Michael Phelps was disappointed

In 2005, during the Summer Nationals in Irvine, he aspired to reclaim the year by breaking a world record. Phelps was sure he set the bar high in 400m free. Hence, he laid his focus on 200m fly. The “Baltimore Bullet” maintained a great pace until the last 30 m.

Alas! He faded away at the end. It was clocked at 1:55:26 seconds. Although it was the second fastest in the world in 2005, to Phelps, it was an effort that fell short by more than a second. The agitated 20-year-old Phelps took off his cap, flung it in front of him, turned around and “BOOM!” slapped the wall in fury and disgust. At that very moment, he realized that he didn’t usually do that as it wasn’t something Bob approved of.

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Phelps thought, “Bob is going to drop a bomb on me. He’s going to put a hurt on.” He added that although it was not something he was looking forward to, Phelps felt he needed it. He also realized that the best was yet to come when he said, “I was still only 20 and I refused to believe that my best wasn’t still ahead of me.”

Bowman about Phelps

Bowman once said, “The higher the level of pressure, the better Michael performs. As expectations rise, he becomes more relaxed.. That’s what makes him the greatest.” Knowing how it works with Phelps, Bowman never hesitated to let Phelps broaden his horizons at every opportunity.

Phelps did not let him down either. Who would want to harm a goose that lays golden eggs?! Bowman, on the other hand, did it while allowing Phelps to swim without goggles. “I could have taken the goggles to him but I decided to keep them and see what he could do,” Bowman explained.

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Phelps swam with his eyes closed with no doubt or insecurity about how he would make it to the end. Bowman’s seemed to have a mystic vision. In Beijing, in 2008, Phelps set a world record by swimming blind after his goggles malfunctioned and filled with water. He seized the opportunity like there was no other option.