"If you're not serious, why show up?" - When Michael Phelps' coach Bob Bowman schooled the legend ahead of 2004 Athens Olympics

Michael Phelps became one of the most successful and most decorated Olympians of all time under the training and guidance of coach Bob Bowman. Phelps joined the North Baltimore Aquatic Club at seven years of age. And there was no looking back.

Bowman told the Swimming World magazine in August 2023 that he knew from the beginning that Phelps, who did a 60-minute, once-a-week stroke clinic with Cathy Lears in his first year, was "special". He said:

"I think it was pretty clear from the beginning that Michael Phelps was a special swimmer."

Bowman continued:

"Back then, he (Phelps) didn't understand he might have to do some things he didn't want to do, like train, sit still, pay attention and not talk. He was very energetic as a young boy."

Olympic swimming legend Phelps also provided insight into his training days under Bowman. In the book, 'Beneath the Surface: My Story', he gave a peek into the training sessions ahead of the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Phelps wrote they started kicking drills: 75 yards of kicking only, at full speed, followed by 50 yards easy.

"After a couple of those, you start to feel a burn in your legs, so they get a little wobbly as you get out of the pool. But do enough of them, and your legs get stronger and you're able to kick harder and more efficiently during competitions," Phelps recounted.

He then went on add that they were supposed to do eight sets of these drills.

"But apparently, we didn't do them very well. 'C'mon, get it right,' I remember Bob saying that day. So eight sets became ten. 'No loafing,' Bob shouted. And we were up to 12. 'If you're not serious, why show up?'" Phelps recalled in the book.

Extract from the book "Beneath the Surface: My Story"

Phelps also shared that when Bowman gets really angry "there's a vein in the right side of his neck that just gets bigger and more pronounced".

"By the time we were on our 24th set, his vein looked like a second neck," Phelps wrote cheekily.

"Just obsessed" - Michael Phelps opens up on his love for golf

Michael Phelps took up golfing after initially retiring in 2012.

Phelps retired from competitive swimming, at 31 years of age, after the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janiero. Now he spends most of his time on the golf course. Phelps stressed in an interview in early 2023 that he is nowadays "obsessed" with golf.

"so being able to play golf and compete with anybody you possibly play with is so cool," Phelps was quoted as saying by Boardroom.tv.

He added:

"I'm just obsessed. I got my wife obsessed too, which is nice so we get out and play a ton."

Phelps believes he can even play with World No. 2 Jon Rahm. He said:

"I can go out and play with (World No. 2 Jon) Rahm and he gives me a ton of shots, but I still compete. That's one of the things I love about golf."