Phelps coach takes Olympic consulting post

Bob Bowman. AFP FILE PHOTO

LOS ANGELES—Bob Bowman, the coach who guided Michael Phelps through an Olympic career that yielded 18 swimming gold medals, has taken a job as an Olympics consultant.

Bowman has joined TSE Consulting in its sports performance division, the company said in a release posted on its website on Monday.

Phelps retired after winning his last six medals at the London Games, taking his tally to 22 total medals. His 18 golds include the eight he won in eight events at the Beijing Games.

Bowman, who was also an assistant coach for the US Olympic swimming team in 2004, 2008 and 2012, said he planned to take at least a year off from coaching.

TSE is headed by Steve Roush, a former chief of sports performance for the US Olympic Committee.

The firm reviewed Russia’s performance after the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games and is now working with the Brazilian Olympic Committee to develop their sports performance plans in the build-up to the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Bowman said in the release that he hopes to “make a positive contribution to the development of swimming worldwide.”