Video Courtesy: USA Swimming
After Wednesday’s break on SwimSwam, and subsequent official announcement by USA Swimming, that Bob Bowman would be the U.S. Olympic Swim Team’s head coach for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Bowman sat down with Rowdy Gaines discuss his new role.
Bowman will be leading the US Olympic team for the first time in his career, but he is not new to the Olympic scene. This will be his fourth time being named as a staff member on the US Olympic Team in his career. Bowman is most famous for coaching the most decorated Olympian of all time, Michael Phelps, but he has a ton of experience under his belt.
Although this is his first time leading the US Olympic team, he has coached the US team at other major international competitions. He was the U.S. men’s head coach at the 2007, 2009 and 2013 FINA World Championships and was an assistant at the 2001, 2003, 2005 and 2011 World Championships. Bowman’s swimmers have set 43 world records and more than 50 American records under his guidance.
Bowman discusses his feelings about being selected as a coach, where he thinks he will be able to help the team, the challenges they will have to address to be strong in 2016, how he will handle his dual role as Arizona State’s coach and the Olympic Coach, Michael Phelps’ potential role on the team, and a few other topics.
