Bob Bowman, a renowned swimming coach, is set to lead the USA Swimming coaching staff for the 2026 Pan Pacific Championships in Irvine, California. This marks his return to the USA Swimming coaching staff after a stint as an assistant coach for the French team at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Bowman, the Director of Swimming and Diving at the University of Texas, will be the head coach for both the men's and women's teams, a role he has previously held at the 2016 Olympics and the 2014 Pan Pacific Championships. He will also coach a number of top athletes, including Regan Smith, Shaine Casas, and Canadian Summer McIntosh.
Bowman's coaching staff includes eight other coaches, including Carol Capitani, Todd DeSorbo, Dave Durden, Chris Lindauer, Ray Looze, Whitney Hite, Mohammad Khadembashi, and Stefani Wendelschaefer. The only coach returning from last year's World Championships coaching staff is Ray Looze, who has had a successful year with Indiana University.
It's interesting to note that Mohammad Khadembashi, from TSM Aquatics, is the only club coach on this year's roster. Last year, there were two club coaches, Ron Aitken from Sandpipers and Jim Nickell from Bend Swim Club. The roster also includes a number of top athletes, such as Aaron Shackell, Alex Shackell, and Katie Ledecky.
The coaching staff will be challenged by the simultaneous running of the Pan Pacs and Euros, which will prevent Bowman from attending the European Championships with his top athletes, Leon Marchand and Hubert Kos. Despite this, Bowman's coaching staff is well-equipped to lead the USA Swimming team to success at the 2026 Pan Pacific Championships.
