French Olympic swimming coach moved to FSU

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Florida State fans can’t help but smile when they hear Bob Bowman’s name.

Or see his famous face at the Summer Olympics in Paris.

Bowman, 59 — a former swimmer at FSU (1983-85), assistant coach (1986-87) and coach at the Area Tallahassee Aquatic Club (1986-87) — is currently an assistant coach of the French men’s swimming team.

His star pupil is Frenchman Leon Marchand, who won gold in the men’s 400m medley earlier this week.

Bowman is of course best known as the coach of the most decorated Olympic athlete of all time: 23-time gold medalist Michael Phelps.

Bowman was recently named coach of the men’s swimming team at the University of Texas.

Last spring, he led Arizona State to the national championship.

Bowman was a U.S. Olympic coach in 2004, 2008, and 2012. In 2015, he was named head coach of the men’s team for the 2016 Olympic Games by USA Swimming.

Bob Bowman’s Time on the Florida State Swim Team

Tallahassee resident Bill Shults recruited and coached Bowman to FSU from South Carolina. Bowman was the Seminoles’ senior team captain in 1985.

Bowman competed in the freestyle and butterfly events.

Shults said Bowman also played piano during his time at FSU.

Shults isn’t surprised by Bowman’s success over the years.

“Bob is very, very good at what he does,” Shults said Tuesday.

“He spends a lot of time every day making sure he has something ready for the kids he coaches. He really goes all in.”

Shults connected with Bowman a few years ago in Tallahassee, when Bowman’s Arizona State team played the Seminoles.

Former FSU swimmer and Ohio State coach Sam Seiple added in a 2016 interview with the Tallahassee Democrat:

“He’s the guy with a plan. He has a plan and he sticks to it. It’s great to watch him. I try to be with Bob and these guys while the game is going on, just to hear what they’re saying to their athletes and learn from that.”

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