Michael Phelps is the world's most decorated Olympian by far, with 23 gold medals. He'll be at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, but not as an athlete.
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The most decorated Olympian in history is making a return to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris as a commentator for NBC.
Swimmer Michael Phelps earned a total of 28 medals — incuding 23 gold medals — throughout his Olympic career. He competed in five Olympic Games in total.
At six feet four inches tall, Phelps' body is perfectly designed for swimming, with a long torso and arms as well as an elite lung capacity.
Phelps set 39 world records in his swimming career across events such as the 200-meter freestyle. His record in the 400-meter individual medley (4:03.84) was set at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and held for more than a decade until France's Léon Marchand broke Phelps' record at the 2023 World Championships.
Now retired from swimming, Phelps, 39, lives in Paradise Valley, Arizona, with his wife Nicole and their four children.
During the Tokyo Olympics, Phelps provided commentary and analysis for NBC. The network announced he would be returning to the role for the upcoming Paris Games.
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Phelps was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and grew up in a nearby suburb. At seven years old, Phelps started swimming lessons and within three years had set a national age group record. It wasn't long before he was headed to the Olympic Games.
Phelps made history at the 2000 Games in Sydney. At age 15, Phelps was the youngest male athlete to compete at the Olympics in nearly 70 years.
Though Phelps didn't medal that year, he went on to earn six gold medals and two bronze medals in Athens in 2004.
Subsequently, Phelps followed his longtime coach, Bob Bowman, to the University of Michigan. He attended classes there alongside his training but did not compete for the university team or pursue a degree, according to a 2008 biography.
At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Phelps earned eight gold medals, the most of any individual athlete at a single Games. He went on to win four gold and two silver medals in the 2012 Olympics in London, at which point he announced his retirement.
By then, Phelps was a household name with multiple Athlete of the Year awards and even a cameo in a 2014 episode of the legal drama Suits.
But Phelps wasn't done with swimming. He made an unexpected comeback at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016, with five gold medals and one silver, before finally retiring for good.
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In total, Phelps won 28 Olympic medals in his career — more than twice as many as other legends in the sport. Celebrated American swimmer Katie Ledecky has 10 medals. Elite Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe, whom Phelps idolized as a youth, has nine medals. South African swimmer Chad le Clos, who managed to beat Phelps by less than a second in the 200-meter butterfly at the 2012 Games, has four total Olympic medals.
In his personal life, Phelps is a married father of four. He met his wife Nicole Johnson, the former Miss California, at an award event in 2007 and in 2016 they married in a ceremony that wasn't reported to the public until months later. The couple has four sons: Boomer, 8; Beckett, 6; Maverick, 4; and Nico, 6 months.
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To stay at the top of his sport for more than a decade, Phelps trained six hours a day, six or seven days a week, logging 80,000 meters a week in the pool. He also did functional strength training.
While the swimmer has debunked rumors that he ate 12,000 calories a day during training, Phelps did require a huge amount of fuel to power his intense routine. Phelps said a closer estimate was 8,000 to 10,000 calories per day, including a massive breakfast of fried egg sandwiches, an omelet, chocolate chip pancakes, and french toast, followed by more sandwiches, pasta, and pizza for lunch and dinner.
Since retiring, Phelps' diet prioritizes nutrient-dense foods like protein smoothies and salads.
Phelps has publicly discussed his mental-health struggles, including depression, anxiety, and ADHD. He has said that he thought of himself as an athlete more than a human being and initially saw his depression as a sign of weakness.
In recent years, Phelps has advocated for mental health treatment and therapy.
He has also been dedicated to philanthropic efforts, including through his namesake foundation, which helps provide resources for water safety and swimming lessons.
As one of the most iconic Olympians in history, Phelps was able to score top-dollar contracts with big brands like Speedo, Subway, Visa, and Under Armour throughout his career. Phelps' net worth includes an estimated $5 million to $7 million a year in sponsorships at the height of his career.
Beyond swimming, Phelps is reportedly an avid golfer. He's also a fan of his hometown football team the Baltimore Ravens and has maintained a close friendship with former Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis.
