Contents
Michael Phelps
Winning 28 Olympic swimming medals, including eight golds at Beijing 2008.
Eight gold medals · Olympic medal milestone
- Born
- 30 June 1985
- Birthplace
- Baltimore, Maryland, United States
More people
Michael Phelps
An American swimmer whose butterfly, medley, freestyle and relay performances produced an exceptional Olympic career. He competed at five Games, from Sydney to Rio.
Early life
Baltimore swimming
Began swimming as a child and trained under Bob Bowman.
Teen Olympian
Reached the Sydney Olympics in 2000 at fifteen.
Career
- 2000
Olympic debut
Competed in the 200-metre butterfly in Sydney.
- 2004
Athens
Won six gold medals and two bronze medals.
- 2008
Beijing
Won all eight events he entered.
- 2016
Rio farewell
Finished his Olympic career with 28 medals, 23 of them gold.
Achievements
Eight gold medals
Exceeded Mark Spitz’s seven golds at a single Games.
Olympic medal milestone
Passed the previous career medal total held by Larisa Latynina.
Fourth medley title
Won the 200-metre individual medley for the fourth consecutive Olympics.
Beyond swimming
Foundation
Established programmes supporting swimming skills and healthy living.
Mental health
Has spoken publicly about depression and seeking support after elite competition.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Photo: Agência Brasil Fotografias. CC BY 2.0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
