7 Years After Retirement, Michael Phelps Shares the Stage With His Legendary Coach to Be Honored With One of the Highest Awards

Legendary swimmer Michael Phelps is no stranger to honors. The Baltimore native holds the record for most Olympic gold medals in history with 23 and in the realm of swimming, no swimmer has even come close to touching his legacy. Phelps has been the face of the sport for the longest time. However, this was also made possible due to the efforts, training, and support of his long-term coach, mentor, and most importantly, a father figure in his life, Bob Bowman. Now seven years after his retirement, Phelps is set to grace the stage once again with his beloved coach.

The International Swimming Hall of Fame has announced their latest yearly induction list and both Phelps and Bowman are part of an impressive aquatic masterclass lineup. As the organization prepares for its annual Fort Lauderdale ceremony, a number of legends will be honored for their individual excellence and also for their contribution to the sport of swimming.

Michael Phelps and Bob Bowman to be inducted into the Hall of Fame

This year’s International Swimming Hall of Fame is the 58th edition of the coveted ceremony that first started in 1965. This year, 13 individuals from various swimming disciplines have been chosen. These include coaches, swimmers, water polo players, divers, open water swimmers, and Paralympic swimmers. According to a Swimming World Magazine report, the list includes the likes of Bob Bowman, Michael Phelps, Chris Carver, Cesar Cielo, Kirsty Coventry, Missy Franklin, Natalia Ischenko, Kosuke Kitajima, Heather Petri, Wu Minxia, Sam Ramsamy, Stephane Lecat, and Trischa Zorn.

It is also another achievement together for the coach and swimmer duo who have fostered one of the most successful partnerships in sporting history. In the past, Phelps had also stated that Bowman has always been like a father figure to him, and has always stood by him. Bowman, who has known Phelps since he was 10 or 11 years old, also considered the legendary swimmer as his family, having seen him grow over the years. In fact, even Phelps’s own mother once did not believe Bowman when he told her that her son could make the 2000 Olympics.

When Bob Bowman assured the Phelps family

When Michael Phelps represented the USA swimming team at the 2000 Olympics, he was just 15 years old. According to a report, when Bob Bowman first informed the Phelps family in 1997 that their son had a chance at the 2000 Olympics and a sure shot chance at medals during the 2004 Olympics, Michael’s mother Debbie said, “You’re crazy, Bowman.”?However, the family trusted the legendary coach and not only Phelps appeared at the 2000 Olympics, he secured 6 Olympic gold medals at the following 2004 Athens Olympics.

Read more: Swimming GOAT Michael Phelps Wishes Legendary Coach Bob Bowman With a Heartfelt Message on His Birthday

All these years later, the contributions of this iconic player and coach duo are still being recognized by the swimming world. This latest induction into the International Swimming Hall of Fame is evidence of the lasting legacy that has been left by Phelps and Bowman for generations to come.

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