Michael Fred Phelps II was born on June 30, 1985, in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. He took up swimming as a child by joining the North Baltimore Aquatic Club. After his parents’ divorce, he was raised by his mother Deborah and his sisters Hilary and Whitney.

Beginning of the Olympic Career: Sydney 2000

Phelps competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games at the age of 15, becoming the youngest athlete on the U.S. Olympic team in 68 years. In Sydney, he competed only in the 200-meter butterfly, finishing fifth. This event marked the beginning of his Olympic career, which he continued through the next four Olympic Games, becoming the athlete with the most medals in each of them.

Athens 2004: First Major Achievements

At the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, Phelps won six gold and two bronze medals, coming close to Mark Spitz’s record of seven gold medals set at the 1972 Munich Games.

Beijing 2008: The Year of Records

At the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Phelps surpassed Spitz’s record by winning gold in all eight events he entered and breaking the world record in seven of them.

London 2012: Sustaining Excellence

At the 2012 London Olympics, Phelps maintained his high level of performance by winning four gold and two silver medals.

Rio 2016: Return and Farewell

At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Phelps returned to competition after announcing his retirement following London, winning five gold and one silver medal to conclude his Olympic career. In his final Olympic event, the 4x100-meter medley relay, his split time of 47.12 seconds was his fastest performance ever.

Career Statistics and Records

Phelps has won a total of 28 Olympic medals, 23 of them gold. This number exceeds twice the tally of his closest rivals. No swimmer other than Spitz, Matt Biondi, and Jenny Thompson has won more than six gold medals. In addition to his Olympic achievements, Phelps set 29 individual long-course world records and eight relay world records. With 33 world championship titles, he became the most decorated athlete in FINA World Championships history. He also won 36 U.S. national swimming titles, including four consecutive titles in the 200-meter butterfly, and three consecutive titles each in the 200-meter freestyle and 100-meter butterfly at Olympic trials.

Awards and Recognition

During his career, Phelps was named “World Swimmer of the Year” by Swimming World eight times and received the United States Olympic and Paralympic Athlete of the Year award four times.

The Michael Phelps Foundation and Social Contributions

In 2008, Phelps founded the Michael Phelps Foundation (MPF) to increase access to swimming for children and raise awareness about mental health. As of 2022, the foundation has supported more than 100,000 people through partnerships with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Special Olympics International. Phelps also contributes to increasing public awareness of mental health by sharing his personal experiences.

Personal Life

After retiring from competition, Phelps has lived as a former athlete. He is married to Nicole Johnson and has three children: Boomer, Becker, and Maverick.