Michael Phelps’ Coach Bowman Played a Huge Role in His Marriage With Nicole Johnson

Published 07/14/2022, 10:55 AM EDT

Michael Phelps has won twenty-three gold, three silver, and two bronze medals in his elusive Olympic career. Every Olympic gold medal carries the name of the winner, but not the army of supporters who helped them reach the top of the podium. Although there are many uncut diamonds in the world, only a certain kind of expertise can create the crown jewel.

Having worked with Phelps since he was 11 years old, Bob Bowman can proudly say that he was the one who coached him. When Phelps visited the North Baltimore Aquatic Club for a 60-minute technique clinic with Cathy Lears, Bowman met him for the first time. Phelps was seven years old at the time.

Recently Bob Bowman celebrated his birthday, while Nicole Johnson, wife of Michael Phelps, shared his picture. She wrote, “Happy Birthday to @coach_bowman who means more to our family than we could every explain.“

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How Bowman supported Michael Phelps

By seeing Phelps’ older sisters, Bowman gained an understanding of his swimming prowess. Whitney and Hilary Philips have also been accomplished swimmers. Whitney qualified for the 200-meter finals of the 1994 World Championship in Rome for team USA, and Hilary was a national swimmer. Superstars who began in one sport and moved on to master another have been seen before.

Michael Phelps Once Won $100K in One Day During His Trip to Las Vegas

However, Bowman was certain that Phelps was destined to be a great swimmer. The motivation for Bowman did not end with Phelps. Together with Chase Kalisz, he carried on to the Tokyo Olympics. He opened the USA’s golden account in Tokyo by winning the 400m Individual Medley.

How was Phelps’ childhood

Since he was a young, energetic boy, Phelps has lived by this ethos, which has helped him reach the peak of Olympic success. When Coach Bob Bowman entered young Phelps’ life, he started laying the groundwork for the gifted athlete’s ambitious future.

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Watch The Story: Rare Image Shows Swimming Legend Michael Phelps Real Father

Neither of them could have imagined how much better it would have become. They dreamed big. When Michael Phelps was nine years old, his parents divorced; a year later, in 2000, his father remarried. Phelps admitted that the divorce had a terrible effect on him and his siblings. And he and his father had a strained relationship for a while following the divorce.

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The partnership between Phelps and Bowman is one of a kind. This coach-athlete relationship can be described as one of the most beautiful ones, as Bob did not only act like his coach but was also like a father figure to him.

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Written by:

Ishani Yadav is a US Sports author for EssentiallySports. She is pursuing her Bachelor's degree in Journalism from the University of Delhi. Ishani is a big fan of fantasy fiction and comics.

Edited by:

Simar Singh Wadhwa

Michael Phelps’ Coach Bowman Played a Huge Role in His Marriage With Nicole Johnson

How Bowman supported Michael Phelps

How was Phelps’ childhood

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