Bowe Becker on Going From Essentially Retired in 2020 to Olympic Champ in 2021

In the SwimSwam Podcast dive deeper into the sport you love with insider conversations about swimming. Hosted by Coleman HodgesGarrett McCaffrey, and Gold Medal Mel Stewart, SwimSwam welcomes both the biggest names in swimming that you already know, and rising stars that you need to get to know, as we break down the past, present, and future of aquatic sports.

We sat down with Olympic gold medalist Bowe Becker, the sprinter who put Minnesota on the map and surprised many by making the 2020 Olympic team. Becker takes us through his entire process of Olympic Trials and the Games, from his mindset to his swims themselves and everything in between.
We then take it back to the beginning of the COVID pandemic, when Becker moved from Auburn (where he was training at the time) back home to his parents’ house in Reno and didn’t swim for 6 months. However, he was back in the pool once he got the call from Jason Lezak that he had a roster spot in the ISL for season 2. Becker goes through his entire comeback tour and how difficult it was to get back into shape for not only ISL but Trials as well.

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Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the interviewed guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints of the hosts, SwimSwam Partners, LLC and/or SwimSwam advertising partners.

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Sam B
2 years ago

Pretty amazing interview, talk about downs and UPS!
Bonus: his favorite was Finke’s 1500 🙂

How much can CD bench???
2 years ago

Amazing what depth team USA has. Everyone was so worried leaving 47-mid guys like held, Rooney, Adrian, dirty dean home only to have bowe “rowdy doesn’t even know who this guy is” Becker be the surprise hero of the 4×100…

Marklewis
Reply to  How much can CD bench???
2 years ago

Bowe Becker was the definition of “stepping up” to meet the challenge of winning that relay.

He looked world class swimming his leg and keeping the lead for USA.

boknows34
2 years ago

… Swimming

cynthia curran
2 years ago

Put Minnesota on the map. What nonsense. Rachel Boosmia went to the Olympics back in 2012 from Minnesota.. Regan Smith has been on the scene for at least 3 years from Minnesota.. Two people besides this guy that had connections with Minnesota at an elite level in Swimming. Sorry, but Swim swam forgets that more national level swimmers are from Minnesota than Missiappi.

Walter
Reply to  cynthia curran
2 years ago

Go Cynthia!

Mustangswimdad
Reply to  Walter
2 years ago

Plummer has done pretty well too.

Ragnar
2 years ago

Bowe still knows, around here

Tigershark
2 years ago

Focus and Celebrate his accomplishments, not the coaches’ decisions…. avoid the negatively….

Penguin
2 years ago

I dont think Peironi was the best decision, especially with hindsight, but it was not a BAD decision. More Olympic relay experience, more total flat start and takeover times in the range they wanted.

Bowe deserved the medley relay spot and the gold due to a better split, but contrary to quite a few other coach’s calls at Tokyo 2020, this was far from the worst, plus, there is precedent.

Penguin
Reply to  Penguin
2 years ago

Go Bowe!

Riccardo
Reply to  Penguin
2 years ago

Agreed. You don’t give the 5th place finisher at Trials a prelim relay spot over a .14 difference in relay splits.

Pieroni had an off swim on the medley and there’s nothing more to it than that.

He was also swimming through waves because Armstrong and Wilson left him and Shields in a huge hole.

Scott
2 years ago

Fantastic interview showing a great story. People like this are what make the Olympics great. Hope he can stay healthy and keep improving. Congrats to you Bowe!

About Coleman Hodges

Coleman Hodges

Coleman started his journey in the water at age 1, and although he actually has no memory of that, something must have stuck. A Missouri native, he joined the Columbia Swim Club at age 9, where he is still remembered for his stylish dragon swim trunks. After giving up on …

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