U.S. Olympic Pentathlete Dennis Bowsher On The Importance Of Downtime

In addition to representing the U.S. at the 2012 Olympics, modern pentathlete Dennis Bowsher serves his country as a specialist in the United States Army. Enlisting in 2005, Bowsher is a member of the World Class Athlete Program (WCAP). The WCAP provides training and financial support to soldier-athletes competing in the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Bowsher was one of seven WCAP representatives in London. “Because I’m in the Army, even though it says USA on my chest, there’ll be a special spot in my heart for all the service members out there. Everyone that puts on a uniform and serves their country — they’ll be right there with me as well,” Bowsher said in an exclusive interview with Uinterview. Entering the Olympics, Bowsher, a native of Texas, had been a decorated athlete. Bowsher is a three-time U.S. National Champion and has received bronze medals in the 2009 Pan American Games as well as a 2010 U.S. National Competition, respectively. Though he finshed 32nd in the pentathlon at the London Olympics, Bowsher was not discouraged and was even looking ahead. “We have Rio in four years, and I look forward to training to that,” he told NBC 5 of Dallas, TX. In our interview with Bowsher, he took us into his mind to show us how he trains and prepares for competition, citing downtime as important as the actual training itself. “You want to make sure you’re up and ready for each event. So anytime you have downtime, you want to just kind of take a mental break — that way you can get yourself back up,” he told us.