Phelps coach to probe GB failure
BRITISH Swimming, with little to cheer in yesterday’s Olympic parade, are bringing in the coach of the sport’s greatest- ever performer Michael Phelps to help investigate what went wrong at the Games.
Bob Bowman, who coached Phelps to a record 22 Olympic medals including 18 golds, is to be part of the inquiry team.
They will begin their probe at the start of October and report back before the end of the month on why £25million a year brought GB Swimming only Michael Jamieson’s silver medal and two bronzes for Rebecca Adlington, which was below their target.
Bowman has formed one of sport’s best known coach-athlete partnerships with Phelps, who has never considered changing advisors since he was 11.
The inquiry group will also include GB Swimming performance director Michael Scott, chef de mission of GB Paralympics Craig Hunter and the Harlequins director of rugby Conor O’Shea.
Scott will examine his own failings while Hunter’s Paralympics team, led by Ellie Simmonds, enjoyed much more success.
ANDY
MURRAY engaged with the Team GB ethos to the extent that he was planning to rush back from the US Open having won or lost his final against Novak Djokovic in time to join yesterday’s athletes parade — until the match was delayed by a day because of the weather. LEWIS HAMILTON’S downbeat demeanour after his victory in the Italian Grand Prix relates to more than being in the middle of a battle between McLaren and Mercedes for his services. Hamilton (right) was understood still to be feeling low after the funeral last Tuesday of his aunt Diane. McLaren are believed to be in pole position to keep the driver.
DAVID
BECKHAM, following his glamorous role driving a speed boat carrying the Olympic flame down the Thames to the London 2012 Opening Ceremony, is one of the great and good from football being invited to the official launch of the FA’s National Football Centre St George’s Park. The ceremony will take place on October 9 in the build-up to the England World Cup qualifier against San Marino, when Roy Hodgson’s team will train for the first time at SGP, where one of the pitches is named after Becks.