For 36 years, Mike Bottom has thought about representing the U.S. in the Olympics.
After a winding road, Michigan’s swimming coach will finally get that chance.
Bottom was announced Sunday as an assistant U.S. swim coach for the Rio Games under former U-M swim coach Bob Bowman, fulfilling part of the opportunity lost when the U.S. boycotted the 1980 Summer Games in Moscow.
At age 24, Bottom finished third in the 100-meter butterfly at the Olympic trials. He was ready to go to Moscow when the rug was pulled out as President Jimmy Carter announced the boycott in retaliation for the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan.