Michael Phelps

Michael Phelps

 Swimmer Michael Phelps has set the file for triumphing the maximum medals, 28, of any Olympic athlete in history.

Who is Michael Phelps?

Michael Phelps is an American swimmer who holds the document for the maximum Olympics medals won through any athlete at 28, inclusive of 23 gold medals and 13 man or woman golds. Phelps competed in his first Olympics at the age of 15, as part of the U.S. Men's swim group. He turned into the primary American male swimmer to earn a spot on five Olympic groups and additionally made history because the oldest person gold medalist in Olympic swimming records at the age of 28.

Formative years and own family

Michael Fred Phelps turned into born on June 30, 1985, in Baltimore, Maryland. The youngest of three kids, Phelps grew up in the community of Rodgers Forge. His father, Fred, an all-around athlete, changed into a kingdom trooper and his mom, Debbie, was a center-college predominant. Whilst Phelps' mother and father divorced in 1994, he and his sisters lived with their mother, with whom Phelps grew very close.

Phelps began swimming whilst his two older sisters, Whitney (born 1978) and Hilary (born 1980), joined a neighborhood swim team. Whitney tried out for the U.S. Olympic group in 1996, however accidents derailed her career. At age seven, Phelps turned into nonetheless "a bit scared" to put his head underwater, so his teachers allowed him to waft round on his back. Not distinctly, the first stroke he mastered changed into the backstroke.

After he noticed swimmers Tom Malchow and Tom Dolan compete on the 1996 summer time games in Atlanta, Phelps commenced to dream of becoming a champion. He released his swimming career on the Loyola excessive faculty pool. He met his instruct, Bob Bowman, when he began schooling at the North Baltimore Aquatic membership at the Meadowbrook Aquatic and health club. The teach right now recognized Phelps' capabilities and fierce sense of competition and commenced an excessive training regime collectively. By 1999, Phelps had made the U.S. National B group.

University of Michigan

Phelps observed his train to the university of Michigan in Ann Arbor, in which Bowman coached the Wolverines' swim team, to observe sports advertising and management. Meanwhile, Phelps persisted to establish international data on the 2006 Pan Pacific Championships in Victoria, British Columbia, and the 2007 global Championships in Melbourne, Australia.

2000 summer time Olympics in Sydney

At the age of 15, Phelps have become the youngest American male swimmer to compete at an Olympic video games in sixty eight years. While he did not win a medal on the 2000 summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, he would soon end up a major force in competitive swimming.

First international records

Inside the spring of 2001, Phelps set the sector file within the two hundred-meter butterfly, turning into the youngest male swimmer in history (at 15 years and 9 months) to ever set a international swimming file.

Phelps then broke his own file on the 2001 global Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, with a time of 1:fifty four:58, earning his first worldwide medal.

Phelps endured to set new marks at the 2002 U.S. Summer time Nationals in citadel Lauderdale, Florida, organising a brand new global report for the 400-meter man or woman medley, and U.S. Records in the one hundred-meter butterfly and the 200-meter person medley. The subsequent year, at the equal occasion, he broke his very own international document in the four hundred-meter individual medley with a time of four:09.09.

Quickly after graduating from Towson in 2003, 17-year-old Phelps set 5 international information, including the 2 hundred-meter character medley at the world Championships in Barcelona, Spain, with a time of 1:fifty six:04. Then all through the U.S. Trials for the 2004 summer time Olympics, he broke his very own global once more inside the four hundred meter person medley, with a time of four:08:forty one.

Michael Phelps competing within the final heat for the men's a hundred Meter Butterfly during day seven of the 2016 U.S. Olympic team Swimming Trials at CenturyLink center on July 2, 2016, in Omaha, Nebraska

Photograph: Tom Pennington/Getty pictures

2004 summer season Olympics in Athens

Phelps have become a superstar on the 2004 Olympic video games in Athens, Greece, prevailing 8 medals (together with six gold), tying with Soviet gymnast Aleksandr Dityatin (1980) for the maximum medals in a single Olympic video games.

Phelps scored the primary of six gold medals on August 14, when he broke his own international report inside the four hundred-meter character medley, shaving 0.15 seconds off of his preceding mark. He additionally gained gold in the 100-meter butterfly, 2 hundred-meter butterfly, 200-meter character medley, 4-by way of-two hundred-meter freestyle relay and 4-by means of-a hundred-meter medley relay). The 2 activities in Athens, in which Phelps took bronze medals, have been two hundred-meter freestyle and the 4-by means of-100-meter freestyle relay.

2008 summer season Olympics in Beijing

On the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing, China, Phelps received his 14th career gold medal, the maximum gold gained via any Olympian — surpassing swimmer Mark Spitz's 1972 report of seven golds. He also set the report for the most gold medals gained in a single Olympics with the aid of triumphing 8 gold medals, inside the four-via-one hundred-meter medley relay, four-by means of-100-meter freestyle relay, two hundred-meter freestyle, 200-meter butterfly, four-by way of-two hundred-meter freestyle relay, 200-meter person medley and one hundred-meter butterfly. Every gold medal overall performance set a new world report, besides the a hundred-meter butterfly, which set an Olympic file.

2012 summer Olympics in London

On the 2012 Olympic video games, held in London, Phelps' Olympic medal matter extended to 22, putting a brand new report for maximum Olympic medals (beating gymnast Larisa Latynina's prior document of 18). He won 4 gold medals, inside the 4-by means of-200-meter freestyle relay, two hundred-meter man or woman medley, a hundred-meter butterfly and 4-with the aid of-one hundred-meter medley relay; and  silver medals, within the four-by using-one hundred-meter freestyle relay and 2 hundred-meter butterfly.

Brief Retirement in 2012

After the London Olympics in 2012, Phelps introduced he became retiring from swimming. But, he gave some indication of a possible go back in July 2013 and might no longer rule out a likely Olympic bid for the 2016 summer season video games. In April 2014, Phelps positioned the retirement rumors to rest and introduced plans to compete at the Mesa Grand Prix in Arizona.

In the meantime, the sports world endured to take a position whether or not Phelps would compete within the 2016 summer Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro. His longtime instruct Bowman instructed the Washington submit:

“I don’t recognise but. Clearly, we’re sort of taking it daily. I don’t assume both one of us has actual expectations other than to have a laugh, see what occurs and move from there. In contrast to previous years, there’s no long-time period plan.”

Even as Phelps did compete on the Mesa Grand Prix, he made a more surprising displaying at the Pan Pacific Championships held that summer season in Australia, winning three golds and two silvers.

Michael Phelps competing within the final of the men's 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay on Day 2 of the Rio 2016 Olympic video games at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium on August 7, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Michael Phelps competing inside the final of the guys's 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay on Day 2 of the Rio 2016 Olympic video games on the Olympic Aquatics Stadium on August 7, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Photo: Adam pretty/Getty pictures

2016 summer time Olympics in Rio

On June 29, 2016, Phelps celebrated a large comeback while he have become the primary American male swimmer to earn a spot on five Olympic teams. His then-lady friend Nicole Johnson, their baby, Boomer, and Phelps' mother Debbie watched the Olympic legend destroy records from the stands in Rio.

On August 7, 2016, Phelps clinched his nineteenth Olympic gold medal in Rio swimming the second one leg of the guys's four hundred freestyle relay. He went directly to win gold in each the 200-meter butterfly and within the 4x200-meter freestyle relay along with Conor Dwyer, Townley Haas and Ryan Lochte.

“Doing a double like that is a lot harder now than what it once turned into,” Phelps stated about competing in the races on the age of 31. “this is for certain.”

Phelps went directly to compete within the 200-meter individual medley, an occasion dubbed "the Duel in the Pool" due to the fact he confronted off towards buddy, teammate and rival Ryan Lochte, the sector file holder in the race. Phelps ruled the race, triumphing gold in over a frame-period at 1:54.66 seconds, right in the back of Lochte's document of 1:fifty four.00. Lochte failed to medal. Phelps' victory made him the first swimmer to win 4 consecutive golds in the identical occasion.

"I say this a lot, however each single day i am dwelling a dream come genuine," Phelps advised NBC sports. "As a child, I wanted to do something that no person had ever accomplished earlier than, and i am taking part in it. Being able to complete how I received is just something very special to me and that is why you are seeing more and more emotion on the medal podium."

Phelps then competed inside the 100-meter butterfly, tying for the silver medal with Laszlo Cseh of Hungary and Chad le Clos of South Africa. Joseph schooling of Singapore, a 21-yr-vintage swimmer who idolized Phelps when he was boy, received the gold.

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In some other emotional victory, Phelps took gold once more in his very last Olympic race, supporting the U.S. Group take the top spot within the 4x100-meter medley relay with teammates Ryan Murphy, Cody Miller and Nathan Adrian. Upon finishing, the most adorned Olympian in records obtained a standing ovation from the group.

In a huddle together with his teammates following the race, Phelps felt the emotion of the instant, in step with the the big apple times. “That’s form of when the whole lot started out to hit more difficult, understanding that became the final time I’ll put on the celebs and Stripes in a race,” he said.

Medals and facts

Phelps has accumulated a complete of 28 medals on the Olympic summer time video games in Athens, Beijing, London and Rio — 23 gold, 3 silver and  bronze — placing the document for the maximum medal wins by using any Olympic athlete. On the 2016 Olympic games, he won one silver and 5 gold medals, becoming the oldest man or woman gold medalist in Olympic swimming history, as well as the first swimmer to win 4 consecutive golds in the identical event, the two hundred-meter person medley. Phelps has set 39 international statistics, the most of all time.

Retirement

Phelps showed that he changed into retiring following the 2016 summer season Olympics.

"i have been capable of do the whole thing i have ever put my mind to on this game. And 24 years in the game. I am satisfied with how things completed," he stated. "i'm geared up to retire. I'm satisfied about it. I am in a higher nation of mind this time than i used to be 4 years ago."

Michael Phelps of the usa celebrates triumphing gold within the men's 200m Butterfly very last on Day four of the Rio 2016 Olympic video games

Michael Phelps of the united states celebrates prevailing gold inside the guys's 200m Butterfly very last on Day 4 of the Rio 2016 Olympic games

Image: Adam pretty/Getty images

Top

Phelps is simply under 6 toes, four inches tall. He has a disproportionately huge wingspan, achieving a piece less than 6 ft 7 inches from fingertip to fingertip, and a torso with measurements which are greater not unusual in a person who measures 6 toes eight inches tall.

Read extra: Why Michael Phelps Has the appropriate frame for Swimming

Pinnacle velocity

While he broke the world document in the a hundred-meter butterfly on the 2009 global Championships, Phelps swam at an astonishingly fast (or as a minimum through human standards) five.Five miles consistent with hour. ESPN has positioned Phelps’ top swimming velocity at 6 miles per hour.

Food plan and each day calories

For the duration of an interview within the midst of the 2008 Beijing summer season Olympics, Phelps instructed NBC that he ate 12,000 calories per day to fuel his 5-hour, six-days-in step with-week schooling leading up to the video games. His weight loss program reportedly consisted of hefty selections like two kilos of pasta and complete pizzas.

“devour, sleep and swim. That’s all i can do. Get a few energy into my system and try to recover the excellent i can,” Phelps stated at the time.

However, in June 2017, he cleared up his consuming conduct:

“Don’t believe the whole thing you study. The stories had been just ridiculous. I was in all likelihood eating anywhere among like eight to ten [thousand] probably at my top wherein i used to be absolutely growing. Nonetheless, it have become a task,” he stated at an occasion in big apple city.

DUIs

Simply weeks following his triumph within the 2004 summer time Olympics in Athens, Phelps turned into arrested for riding underneath the have an effect on of alcohol in Salisbury, Maryland, after cruising through a stop signal. He pleaded responsible to driving while impaired, changed into sentenced to 18 months probation, fined $250, ordered to speak in opposition to drinking and riding to high school students, and ordered to attend a moms towards under the influence of alcohol riding assembly. Michael called it an "remoted incident," but admitted to letting himself and his family down.

Inside the fall of 2014, Phelps become arrested again in his hometown of Baltimore, Maryland in September for riding underneath the affect, dashing and crossing double lines. He took to Twitter to discuss this incident, writing "I recognize the severity of my movements and take full obligation." Phelps also apologized to "every body i've permit down." 

Despair battle

In January 2018, Phelps brought an eye-opening account of his battles with melancholy on the fourth annual convention of the Kennedy discussion board, a behavioral health advocacy organization.

The athletic first rate described how he would fall into a country of depression after the highs of his Olympic victories, frequently looking for to medicate himself through tablets or alcohol. He stated the "hardest fall" came after the 2012 Olympics while he found himself sitting in his room by myself for 3 to five days, now not consuming and barely sleeping: "I didn't need to be in the game anymore," he recalled. "I failed to need to be alive anymore." 

The revel in precipitated him to seek help, and Phelps said he came to comprehend that "it is adequate to not be good enough," though he stated there was still a stigma related to intellectual infection. "I think human beings absolutely sooner or later apprehend it's far real," he stated. "humans are speakme approximately it and i assume that is the most effective way that it could change." 

Phelps reiterated many of those sentiments at the same time as performing on David Axelrod’s The axe files podcast weeks later. He envisioned that as many as ninety percent of Olympic athletes go through a post-video games melancholy, and known as at the U.S. Olympic Committee to do greater to help.

"we're competing to represent our united states of america. We're competing to do the entirety we will to try to win a medal or to try to do our u . S . Proud via sporting the stars and stripes on worldwide ground," he informed Axelrod. "whilst we come domestic from it, you understand, they may be like, type of, 'adequate, check. Who is the subsequent kid coming in? Wherein's the next man or woman?’ and i suppose it is sad."

Non-public life

Phelps married Nicole Johnson on June 13, 2016. After relationship on and off in view that 2011, Phelps popped the question in February 2015. The couple turned into married in a private ceremony in Paradise Valley, Arizona, despite the fact that their wedding ceremony turned into stored secret till TMZ broke the news in October 2016.

Phelps and Johnson have three sons: Boomer Robert (b. Can also five, 2016), Beckett Richard (b. February 12, 2018) and Maverick Nicolas (b. September 9, 2019).

Phelps vs. Shark

For the 2017's Shark Week, Michael Phelps raced numerous breeds of sharks. The group advanced a unique device to degree every shark’s pace using bait. Phelps wore a monofin to approximate the actions of a shark (and get a bit of delivered propulsion). They did not swim the 100 meters facet by way of aspect however alternatively personally in the identical open water, with CGI pics of the sharks displayed alongside Phelps as he raced. Their times have been later in comparison.

"truly, my first idea once I saw the shark changed into, 'there may be little or no chance for me to overcome him,'" Phelps said.

The hammerhead shark swam the gap at 15 miles in line with hour, while the top notch white shark swam at a whopping 26 miles in line with hour. Phelps simplest beat the reef shark with the aid of 0.2 seconds, clocking in at 6 miles per hour.

Books

In addition to his a hit swim profession, Phelps has written two books, under the surface: My story (2008) and No Limits: the will to succeed (2009).