Have you wondered how coaches and swimmers get along? For some, they are the ultimate madmen who develop a swimming machine inside a human being. For others, they represent a far greater bond. Despite all the mysteries they unraveled, Michael Phelps and Bob Bowman had a father-son-like relationship throughout their careers.

Bowman recalled how Phelps used to grab his attention by doing meaningless things inside the pool. Training in swimming often comes as monotonous to several people. Thus, when Phelps did playful antics inside the swimming pool, it irked Bowman up completely.

Michael Phelps’ mischievous ways of irritating his coach

Training a swimmer who wants to be successful demands hard work. They do laps of strokes continuously as it gets boring. Surrounded by other Olympians, Phelps practiced his stokes but did something quirky to attract Bowman’s attention. Unsurprisingly, the coach got irked. One moment that irritated him was when Phelps would tug on the lane divider when he did kicking exercises. “Michael knows it’s one of the things I absolutely hate most,” said Bowman. 

Bowman did not appreciate what he did inside the pool. He continued, “When he first started doing it, I went n***, and it wasted our time. It’s just a way he has of asserting his independence from me in a stupid way. I’ve decided that for now I’m going to pick my battles and ignore it.”

READ MORE- Banned Due to “Biological Advantages”, Caster Semenya Once Called Out ‘Wide Enough’ Michael Phelps and ‘Tall’ LeBron James for Getting Preferential Treatment

However, their relationship was beautiful as a father-son duo, and Bowman molded him into a great swimmer. While Phelps irked Bowman with his antics, the coach himself put on interesting challenges for Phelps inside the pool. 

Toughening him up!

The duo had a sensational relationship. For a swimmer to be successful, he goes through various challenges in life. Hence, Bowman acted as a mentor for Phelps to achieve those challenges. Bowman made Phelps swim with his goggles filled with water which helped him win a race in the future. Likewise, he counted strokes while he swam in practice and helped to flip when he reached the wall. 

All these little things proved to be a catalyst for Phelps to win 28 Olympic medals. Quite an iconic duo, Bowman and Phelps shared a meaningful relationship. More than his coach, he was a mentor and an advisor who helped him face tough challenges in his life.

WATCH THIS STORY- From Subway to Under Armour- Here are Michael Phelps’ Famous Endorsement Deals