Michael Phelps' ex-coach Bob Bowman gets emotional as Allison Schmitt reminisces about pre-COVID race from her competitive career

Michael Phelps' former coach, Bob Bowman, recently reacted to Allison Schmitt reminiscing about her pre-retirement swimming days. Like Phelps, Schmitt was coached by Bowman for most of her career, which led her to 10 Olympic medals.

Schmitt reposted a clip of her 200m freestyle race from the 2020 TYR Pro Swim Series meet. She had won the race in 1:56.01s and wrote:

"TBT @coach_bowman before the world shut down."

Bowman, who currently serves as the Director of Swimming and Diving and Head Men's Coach at The University of Texas, summed up his reaction with a single emoji, posting:

"🥹"

Schmitt started training under Bowman alongside Phelps after graduating from high school in 2008. It was the same year she made her Olympic debut at the 2008 Beijing Games and won a bronze medal in the 4x200m freestyle relay.

When Bowman was named the head coach of the prestigious North Baltimore Aquatic Club following the Games, Schmitt and Phelps followed him. The two, who are also good friends, trained under Bowman till the end of their careers.

While Phelps retired as the most decorated Olympian in history following the 2016 Rio Olympics, Schmitt bid farewell to the sport following the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She won ten Olympic medals, including four golds, eight world championship medals, and seven medals across the Pan Pacific Championship and Pan American Games, finishing as one of the most decorated female American swimmers.

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"It was really cute" - Allison Schmitt on Michael Phelps and family supporting her at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics

Olympic Games Paris 2024: Day 12 - Source: Getty

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics marked the last of Allison Schmitt, and she went on to finish with two medals: a silver in the 4x200m freestyle relay and a bronze in the 4x100m freestyle relay. The four-time Olympian had her long-time training partner Michael Phelps cheering for her alongside his family in the largely empty stands in Tokyo, and it meant a lot to her.

"I've experienced three of his Olympics and then in 2021, Nicole and Michael were both able to come over and cheer for me. They were the family that was able to come, which was really nice. I liked to hear familiar voices. My dad would always shout, so I knew where he was in the stands and that year, they shouted for me. It was really cute," Allison Schmitt told the People magazine.

Following her retirement, Allison Schmitt completed her master's degree and now works as Chief Empowerment Officer at SURGE, a free girl's sports program offered by BSN Sports.