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
At a very young age, I wrote down the goals that I had so I could always see what I wanted to accomplish. And I would look at that goal sheet and think "I still want to do this."So I'd decide "I'm not quitting."
I think sometimes I guess you see records, say you want to get there and use that as motivation. In a way, it's kind of cool if there is a possibility to rewrite history and be up there with the greats of Olympic history.
Anything is possible as long as you want it, you work for it. Doesn't matter what anyone else thinks, the only person that can really put pressure on you is yourself
I like to just think of myself as a normal person who just has a passion, has a goal and a dream and goes out and does it. And that's really how I've always lived my life.
I think the biggest things I am looking forward to is getting new faces into the sport. Getting kids who could be afraid of water to feel comfortable in the pool.
Every day after I wake up, I think, 'Wait... this can't be real; I'm still going to wake up.'
If I didn't swim my best, I'd think about it at school, at dinner, with my friends. It would drive me crazy.
When I race, I don't think about it; it just happens.
I think with practice, you can being whatever you want to be, and with a goal you can go in any direction that you want to go in.
I think goals should never be easy, they should force you to work, even if they are uncomfortable at the time.
I knew it would take a world record to win this race, ... He was better prepared than I was for this race. The Texas guys have awesome starts and turns -- two things I don't do well. Those are two things I need to improve on before Athens.
I'm satisfied in a way because it was an eye-opener,
That's an indication I'm sort of starting to fade.
The last 20 meters weren't very good, they didn't feel good,