Michael Phelps is, without question, the greatest swimmer of all time, but he’s arguably the greatest Olympian of all time, too. He has won a total of 28 medals in his career, a whopping 18 of them being gold, making him the most decorated Olympic athlete ever. While he’s made a name for himself inside the pool, Phelps has also cemented himself as one of the most famous athletes outside of the water. Between his countless endorsement deals and speaking out about the importance of taking care of one’s mental health, Phelps is an influential athlete.
Though his Olympic career is over, there’s no doubt his legacy will live on forever. From how he first got introduced to swimming to breaking records left and right, here are 8 facts to know about the superstar swimmer.
ADHD Got Him Into the Pool
Phelps was diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) when he was a little boy. His mother was trying to figure out how to help him focus his energy, so she got him into swimming. Of course, Phelps took to the sport immediately and even began breaking records at the age of 10 years old.
Youngest Olympian in Almost 70 Years
After qualifying for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Phelps became the youngest American male swimmer to compete in the Olympics in nearly 70 years. He was just 15 years old at the time.
Youngest Man to Break a World Record
Following his time at the 2000 Olympic Games, Phelps became the youngest man to break a world record at the age of 15. He broke the 200-meter fly record at Spring Nationals in 2001.
Flippers For Feet
There’s no question Phelps worked extremely hard for his success, but genetics certainly helped him too. In fact, Phelps not only has size 14 feet, but they actually bend 15 degrees more than the average ankle. Essentially, he has flippers for feet. That’ll get you swimming fast!
First Athlete to Win 8 Gold Medals at One Olympics
At the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, Phelps became the first athlete to win eight gold medals at a single Olympics. He swam the 100-meter butterfly, 200-meter butterfly, 200-meter medley, 400-meter medley, 200-meter freestyle, 4×100-meter freestyle, 4×200-meter freestyle, and the 4×100 meter medley and won gold in every single one.
If Michael Was a Country
As stated above, Phelps has won an incredible 28 medals during his career as an Olympic athlete. But, believe it or not, if he was a country, he’d be ranked 32nd on the all-time medal count.
Open About His Mental Health
Along with inspiring future Olympians with his swimming, Phelps has also helped people struggling with their mental health. Phelps revealed he contemplated suicide following the 2012 Olympics in London and now uses his platform to help others who are struggling. In fact, in 2017 he joined the board of Medibio, which is a company focused on diagnosing mental health disorders.
Father of Three
Phelps is married to former Miss California USA Nicole Johnson. The couple tied the knot on June 13, 2016, though they first met back in 2007. They have three sons: 4-year-old Boomer, 2-year-old Beckett, and 1-year-old Maverick. The family lives in Paradise Valley, Arizona, where Phelps currently helps coach the Arizona State Sun Devils swim team.