Longtime Phelps coach Bob Bowman was in tears watching new star pupil Léon Marchand win gold
Bob Bowman knows dominance, but even he couldn't quite believe what he witnessed with his latest Olympic pupil pulling off a dominant victory in the 400-meter individual medley
NANTERRE, France (AP) — Bob Bowman teared up, just as he used to do watching Michael Phelps win Olympic gold medals.
This time it was Léon Marchand, Bowman's latest pupil to shine on the world stage, who pulled off a dominant victory in the 400-meter individual medley in front of a raucous French home crowd Sunday.
The boisterous, flag-waving fans are counting on Marchand to be one of the premiere French athletes of the Paris Games, and the deafening cheers for their countryman have echoed off the walls of La Defense Arena every time he is in the pool.
“It was incredible. I’ve never really been at anything like that. So it was great, it was fantastic," Bowman said in an interview with The Associated Press on Monday. “I actually did tear up a little bit right at the end, everyone was so happy.”
