Michael Phelps

Biography

Born on 30 June 1985 in Baltimore, Maryland, Michael Fred Phelps was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) at age nine. His mother, Debbie, enrolled him at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club, where legendary coach Bob Bowman immediately recognized extraordinary talent. Phelps possessed an almost purpose-built physique for swimming: a 6-foot-7 wingspan on a 6-foot-4 frame, oversized hands and feet, exceptional joint flexibility, and relatively short legs that minimized drag in the water.

At fifteen, Phelps qualified for the 2000 Sydney Olympics, becoming the youngest American male swimmer to compete at the Games in sixty-eight years. At the 2004 Athens Olympics, he won six gold medals and two bronze, establishing himself as the most versatile and dominant swimmer on the planet. He even gave up his place in the 4x100 m medley relay final to Ian Crocker, still receiving gold for swimming the heats.

At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Phelps achieved the most remarkable feat in Olympic swimming history: eight events entered, eight gold medals won, seven world records set, all in eight days. No athlete in any sport had ever claimed so many gold medals at a single Games, surpassing Mark Spitz's record of seven in Munich 1972. Two wins stand out: the 4x100 m freestyle relay, snatched from France by Jason Lezak in the final metres, and the 100 m butterfly, won by one hundredth of a second over Milorad Čavić.

At London 2012 he added four golds and two silvers to become the most decorated Olympian in history. Between 2009 and 2014, Phelps also faced personal difficulties including a drug scandal and a DUI arrest, along with battles with depression. After a first retirement in 2012, he returned in 2014 and competed at Rio 2016 at thirty-one years old, winning five gold and one silver to bring his career totals to 23 golds and 28 Olympic medals, records across all sports.

Retired since 2016, Phelps has become one of the most prominent advocates for athletes' mental health, speaking openly about his own struggles with depression and ADHD. His legacy extends well beyond the pool.