Michael Phelps Honors Coach Bowman’s Impactful Mentorship Reflecting on Their Shared Journey

Micheal Phelps has always been the center of attraction for swimming spectators. The primary reason for his popularity in the annals of the swimming world is his remarkable performance over the years. With an astonishing 23 Olympic golds in his kitty, he has been a force to reckon with in the pool. While there isn’t an ounce of doubt over the capabilities of Phelps, there always lies a hidden gem behind the success story of every sportsman. Michael Phelps’ story is also no exception.

Many a time, he has hailed his coach Bob Bowman for his remarkable achievements, even after stepping aside from professional swimming. Recently, the world once again witnessed Phelps’ allegiance and respect for Bowman through one of his social media posts.??

Being grateful for his remarkable records over the years?

In a recent Instagram story, Michael Phelps showcased the list of longest-standing Long Course Meeters (LCM) world record holders in a single event. The story was carrying the caption “some good years“. However, something that caught attention was Phelps tagging his coach Bob Bowman while thanking him. And the record is not small enough.

Michael Phelps broke the men?s 400 IM world record for the first time in his career on August 15, 2002. He clocked 4:11.09 which was way under the previous record of 4:11.76 by Tom Dolan. The record remains unstained to date. According to a recent stat by swimswam, as of November 13, 2023, Phelps has been holding the record for 20 years 342days. This makes him the longest-standing world record holder in long course meters.?

The most important aspect and responsibility of a coach is to not only uplift the trainee but also guide them in every possible way. Keeping up with his responsibilities, Bowman held the hand of Phelps while he was fighting with anxiety and depression. He successfully guided Phelps to cruise through the pressure of expectations that mounted on him as he kept rising high in the pools.?

A guide through thick and thin

While spectators argue who the greatest Olympians are, most call out to be Usain Bolt or Carl Lewis. However, Micheal Phelps is a standout athlete among the rest, with a record of 23 Olympic gold and 39 world records. He has been performing exceptionally since the beginning of his career. He bagged gold medals in all the events in Beijing. However, this fairytale performance sowed the seeds of the problem.

Read more; ?We Created a Monster?- Michael Phelps? Coach Opened Up on His Olympic Journey

The fear of failure started haunting Phelps. He was sitting at the pinnacle of success and did not know what was next for him. In Bowman’s words, “We created a monster, and after Beijing, it was too big to fail.” That is where Bowman came into play. In order to keep Phelps on track, he let him push away things that made him vulnerable. Bowman had said, “We had to do whatever we could to keep it going. That?s how we got to London. The deal with his dad, how to come to grips with his fame, those kinds of things, I thought, we?ll deal with later.”?

Gradually, with therapy, Phelps got the hang that the best way to conquer this feeling was to get that head-on. But it was Bowman, who nurtured Phelps like a child during that crisis period. It is heartwarming how dearly Phelps holds these memories, even after so many years, that he takes up the smallest possible opportunity to thank his beloved coach.

Watch this story:?Did Michael Phelps Swap Loyalties From Baltimore Orioles to Arizona Teams Over Friendship With John Rahm?