Nadador michael phelps biography

Michael Phelps marched into the Beijing National Aquatics Center with his three teammates. The camera lingered on his anxious mother while the crowd hummed with anticipation. If the American team won this race, the 100-meter medley relay, Phelps would earn his eighth gold medal of the 2008 Olympics and eclipse Mark Spitz, who had won seven golds in 1972.

Phelps would swim the butterfly stroke in the third leg. As he waited, he removed his cocoon of hooded robe and headphones, revealing a sleek black swimsuit that looked more like a pair of tights than a bathing suit. Aaron Peirsol, who was swimming the first leg, lowered himself into the pool and hung on the edge.

The buzzer sounded. Peirsol dove backward and flew across the pool in a foamy jet of water. He was a hair’s breadth ahead of his Australian rival when he tagged in Brendan Hansen, who lost the lead to Japan by the time he handed off to Phelps.

Within seconds of diving in, Phelps was neck and neck with the Japanese swimmer, leaping and plunging on every stroke like a possessed dolphin. On his turn Phelps ricocheted off the wall and gained a substantial lead on both the Japanese and Australian competitors before his teammate Jason Lezak took over for the final sprint. Thanks in part to the buffer provided by Phelps, Lezak finished the race in first, with the team clocking in at just over 3 minutes and 29 seconds, simultaneously demolishing a world record and giving Phelps his eighth gold medal.

In all, U.S. swimmers walked away with 31 medals, but the Bejing games did more than prove American dominance in the sport. It also cemented the dominance of swimwear maker Speedo’s iconic new swimsuit, which, according to the company, was worn by 98% of swimmers who medaled at that year’s games.

As record after record fell in the Olympic trials leading up to Beijing and then in the games themselves, it became clear that athletes wearing Speedo’s new line of swimsuits had an edge. But S

Michael Fred Phelps II is known principally as the most decorated Olympian of all time, with a total of 28 Olympic medals, 23 of them gold, spanning over four Olympic Games. He has actually competed at five Olympics; however, he did not medal at his first Games in Sydney, Australia. He is recognized for his formidable butterfly, though he also specializes in individual medleys and the 100 and 200-meter freestyle. At 31-years-old, Phelps retired from swimming as the greatest of all-time. His retirement came just days after finishing his fifth Olympics with five golds and a silver medal.

In the beginning

Michael Phelps was born in Towson, Maryland on June 30, 1985 to Fred and Debbie Phelps. While following in the wake of his two older sisters, Whitney and Hilary, a young Phelps was initially fearful of putting his face in the water. However, he overcame this discomfort and, in 1996, was inspired by the performances of Tom Malchow and Tom Dolan during the Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia. Shortly thereafter, he joined the North Baltimore Athletic Club, where he met Bob Bowman, the coach who would see him through the highs and lows of the rest of his career.

2000 Olympic Games

Though Phelps struggled in school and was diagnosed with ADHD, he focused most when it came to swimming. In 2000, Phelps found himself in Sydney, Australia, having qualified in the 200-meter butterfly. At 15, he was the youngest male Olympian the United States had presented in nearly 70 years. While he did not medal at the meet, he competed in the finals against Tom Malchow, touching fifth. As a spectator at the event, Phelps gained another source of inspiration from observing the races of a bodysuit-clad freestyle legend, Australian Ian Thorpe.

2001 Nationals and FINA World Championships

The next year, during World Championship Trials at the Phillips 66 Nationals, Phelps broke his first world record in the same event in which he had competed at the Sydney Ga

American swimmer (born 1985)

This article is about the American swimmer. For other people named Michael Phelps, see Michael Phelps (disambiguation).

Michael Fred Phelps II (born June 30, 1985) is an American former competitive swimmer. He is the most successful and most decorated Olympian of all time with a total of 28 medals. Phelps also holds the all-time records for Olympic gold medals (23),Olympic gold medals in individual events (13), and Olympic medals in individual events (16). At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Phelps tied the record of eight medals of any color at a single Games, held by gymnast Alexander Dityatin, by winning six gold and two bronze medals. Four years later, when he won eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Games, he broke fellow American swimmer Mark Spitz's 1972 record of seven first-place finishes at any single Olympic Games. At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Phelps won four gold and two silver medals, and at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, he won five gold medals and one silver. This made him the most successful athlete of the Games for the fourth Olympics in a row.

Phelps is a former long course world record holder in the 200-meter freestyle, 100-meter butterfly, 200-meter butterfly, 200-meter individual medley, and 400-meter individual medley. He has won 82 medals in major international long course competitions, of which 65 were gold, 14 silver, and three bronze, spanning the Olympics, the World Championships, and the Pan Pacific Championships. Phelps's international titles and record-breaking performances have earned him the World Swimmer of the Year Award eight times and American Swimmer of the Year Award eleven times, as well as the FINA Swimmer of the Year Award in 2012 and 2016. Phelps earned Sports Illustrated magazine's Sportsman of the Year award due to his unprecedented Ol

Quick Facts

• Specialty: Butterfly, Individual Medley, Freestyle, Backstroke

Biographical Information 

Michael Phelps is one of the most decorated Olympic swimmers in TeamUSA history with 28 total medals, including 23 gold. He began swimming at the early age of seven, and he quickly fell in love with the sport. Just three years later, he set a national record for his age group. Phelps attended and swam for Towson High School and the University of Michigan. 

As a retired swimmer, Phelps dedicates his time to giving back to the sport, volunteering as an assistant coach alongside Bob Bowman. He continues to make a positive impact through the Michael Phelps Foundation, which focuses on promoting mental and physical well-being and empowers individuals to pursue their dreams. 

Phelps is also an avid golfer and launched his cold-water bathtub brand, 'Chilly Goat Tubs,' in 2023.

From his debut at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games to his final appearance in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, Phelps left his mark as an Olympic athlete, capturing the hearts of swimmers, athletes and fans.

Olympic Highlights

At the age of 15, Phelps represented the United States at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. Phelps' dominance came to light at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, where he clinched an impressive six gold and two bronze medals, showcasing his skills in events like the 100-meter and 200-meter butterfly, 200-meter and 400-meter individual medley and the 4x100-meter and 4x200-meter freestyle relays. 

During the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, Phelps secured an unprecedented eight gold medals in both individual and team events, surpassing the record at the time. He added four gold and two silver medals to his roster in the London 2012 Olympic Games. At the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, Phelps further solidified his legacy by capturing five gold and one silver medal. 

World Championship Highlights 

Since 2001, Phelps has competed in a series of