Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh to train with Michael Phelps' coach. What we know about the move

Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh has announced plans to move to Austin, Texas to train with Bob Bowman, former coach for Olympic superstar Michael Phelps, CBC reports. His coaching expertise and experience with multi-event swimmers will help her achieve her own ambitious goals, most notably to win five individual gold medals at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, she told CBC Sports. McIntosh won three Olympic gold medals , as well as a silver, at the 2024 Paris Games. Where will she train with Bowman? She plans to move to Austin after the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in July to join Bowman’s professional training group, regarded as one of the best in the world and including other top swimmers. McIntosh says she values the individualized and intense training approach Bowman offers, which she feels aligns with her needs as a high-performance athlete competing in multiple events. Where is she training now? Before her move, McIntosh will continue training under French Olympic coach Fred Vergnoux, who has helped her develop a strong aerobic foundation and competitive mindset. Why Bowman? Bowman guided Phelps to a record 23 Olympic gold medals and has also coached other elite swimmers such as Regan Smith, and Simone Manuel and Léon Marchand, who won four gold medals in Paris. All of them have achieved world-class results under his guidance. Bowman specializes in preparing swimmers who compete in multiple events, managing complex training regimens that balance volume, intensity, and recovery. This can be valuable for athletes aiming to win several medals during a single Games. He is known for tailoring his training plans to each athlete’s specific needs, strengths and goals. What is so special about Bowman’s training? Bowman emphasizes building trust and understanding with his athletes, supporting not just their physical development but also their mental resilience — an essential factor for Olympic success. Bowman breaks down big goals into daily, weekly, monthly and yearly plans with clearly defined outcomes. He encourages athletes to write down their targets and visualize success, believing that vivid mental rehearsal is a powerful tool for achieving goals. Rather than fixating on medals or external results, Bowman teaches athletes to concentrate on perfecting their performance and hitting personal benchmarks. This reduces pressure and helps maintain consistency under stress. He teaches athletes to focus on their own race and performance, not on competitors or outcomes, to avoid choking under Olympic-level pressure . He emphasizes the importance of daily routines and habits , believing that champions produce predictable performances even in unpredictable environments. Bowman uses mental imagery extensively , asking swimmers to visualize every detail of their races — the feel of the water, the sounds, and the execution of each stroke — to prepare for high-pressure situations. He deliberately introduces challenges and discomfort in training, so athletes learn to perform when things go wrong — like Phelps did when he won a race in Beijing, even though his goggles had filled with water. What will the benefit be of training at the University of Texas in Austin? Training in Bowman’s professional group will means daily exposure to some of the world’s best swimmers. His program at the University of Texas is designed to foster excellence, utilizing the best resources, facilities and staff to help athletes reach their full potential.

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