After getting a nod of appreciation from the million viewers who witnessed Simone Manuel’s win at the trials, it was confirmed that she was making her third Olympic team. Thanks to her guiding light!

Besides being the first black woman to win Olympic gold in an individual swimming event in 2016, her skills were polished further under the mentorship of a prominent name in the coaching world. Not only did he train Simone but also swimming legend Michael Phelps to win 23 gold medals! Who is HE? Here’s everything you need to know about Simone Manuel’s coach.

Meet Simone Manuel’s coach, Bob Bowman

Bob Bowman is a legendary swimming mentor. Bowman is known as the mastermind behind the success of the world’s most decorated Olympian, Michael Phelps. He guided Phelps to win 28 medals, including 23 gold medals, in the Olympics. What can be a better word to describe Bob Bowman’s perseverance for his trainees? As a member of the Ki Kappa Alpha fraternity, his coaching career began in 1986–87 when he coached the Area Tallahassee Aquatic Club. Bowman served as head coach for Birmingham Swim League from 1992 to 1994, later shifting to Napa Valley Swim and dedicating three years from 1994 to 1997. Following his significant contributions to universities such as Michigan, the University of Arizona State University hired him on April 24, 2015. Bob Bowman was the third head coach in ASU’s history to coach both women’s and men’s swimming teams. Being the head coach of the Arizona State Sun Devil swimming and diving team, he helped the Sun Devil rank first in the nation for the first time in school history.

After training legends like Michael Phelps, Allison Schmitt, and Cierra Runge, Bob Bowman is currently training Simone Manuel, who will be appearing in the Paris Olympics. While Simone Manuel’s coach currently fills the role of legendary coach Eddie Reese, he will soon take over as the head coach of the men’s team at the University of Texas after the Paris Olympics concludes in 2024. Simone took a significant sabbatical until 2022, when she chose to relocate to ASU to receive coaching from Bob Bowman. Indeed, his training stands out as one of the reasons why she is shining at the Olympics.

Manuel credits Bowman for a successful swimming career 

Simone Manuel had a successful career, yet, being the fastest swimmer in American history, her pace slowed down after the Tokyo Olympics. After receiving a diagnosis of overtraining syndrome, Manuel took a much-needed long break. Her will and interest in swimming seemed to stagger after realizing she no longer enjoyed swimming. Manuel announced her return to ASU, deciding to receive mentorship from the legendary coach Bob Bowman.

Manuel mentions, “He knows what it takes to bring an athlete from a tough spot back up to the top.” She claims that her coach, Bob Bowman, understands what overtraining looks like and how it affects the Olympian and her body in the long run. Discussing her skills, Simone states, “He has accomplished a lot in sports,” referring to megastars like Michael, who was trained under Bob. Further describing the problems that she dealt with the over-training syndrome and how Bob helped her overcome them, she asserted, “Him telling me that he wanted me to have fun is the process helped.” Simone Manuel has mentioned that she has now started enjoying swimming and has credited Bob for it. Simone will soon be competing in the Paris Olympics. Share your thoughts in the comments section below.