Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps
Michael Fred Phelps II is an American competition swimmer and the most decorated Olympian of all time, with a total of 22 medals in three Olympiads. Phelps also holds the all-time records for Olympic gold medals, Olympic gold medals in individual events, and Olympic medals in individual events for a male. In winning eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Games, Phelps took the record away from fellow American swimmer Mark Spitzfor the most first-place finishes at any single Olympic...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionSwimmer
Date of Birth30 June 1985
CityBaltimore, MD
CountryUnited States of America
And, you know, being able to wear the stars and stripes, when you step up on one of the blocks or, you know, when you step off of an airplane or when you hear the national anthem play, you know, it's one of the greatest feelings in the world because you know that there are people at home who are supporting you and watching you.
Even in high school, I'd tell my mom I was sick of swimming and wanted to try to play golf. She wasn't too happy. She'd say, 'Think about this.' And I'd always end up getting back in the pool.
I always have on my headphones to block out all of the other distractions and I'm just focused on doing the best that I can.... There a few of them ... DMX Party Up ... Mack 10 BC and Ice Cube Connected for Life. I also listen to the Eminem CD ...whichever song really gets me going that night
My mom put me and my sisters in the water to feel comfortable, to have water safety.
It's cool just because I've had this dream of changing the sport of swimming and it's finally happening.
Once I retire, I'm retiring. I'm done.
Why is it such a big deal what I'm swimming?
I know it won't be eight medals again. If you want to compare me to that, that's your decision, not mine. I'm going out there to try to accomplish the things that I have in my mind and in my heart.
Every day after I wake up, I think, 'Wait... this can't be real; I'm still going to wake up.'
I am 26 and, and I don't recover as fast as I have in the past.
I consider myself normal. I've spent 20 years in the pool. I consider that something that's normal.
I learned how fast you can go from being an international hero to being a reference in a joke on a late night talk show.
I've been able to get an excitement back in the water.
If I didn't swim my best, I'd think about it at school, at dinner, with my friends. It would drive me crazy.