Michael Phelps

Phelps is married to former Miss California USA Nicole Johnson. The couple met in 2007 at the ESPY Awards and married in a private ceremony on June 13, 2016, which was publicly announced four months later. Together, they have four sons and reside in Paradise Valley, Arizona.

Outside of competition, Phelps has been open about his personal battles with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and depression, particularly in the period following the 2012 London Olympics. His advocacy for mental health awareness led him to join the board of Medibio in 2017 and co-produce the 2020 HBO sports documentary The Weight of Gold, which examines the psychological struggles experienced by elite Olympic athletes.

Following the 2008 Summer Games, Phelps established the Michael Phelps Foundation using a $1 million bonus from sponsor Speedo. The foundation promotes water safety, healthy living, and the growth of swimming, partnering with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Special Olympics International to deliver its youth-oriented "im" program. Phelps is also a competitive golfer and holds a minority ownership stake in the English football club Leeds United.

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Phelps grew up in the Rodgers Forge neighborhood of Towson as the youngest of three children. His mother Deborah was a middle school principal, and his father Fred was a Maryland State Trooper. Phelps took up swimming at age seven after watching his older sisters Whitney and Hilary join a local swim club, initially relying on the backstroke because he was uneasy putting his face in the water.

At age 10, Phelps began training at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club under coach Bob Bowman. Bowman quickly recognized Phelps's exceptional physical endurance and fierce competitive drive, instituting a rigorous, highly disciplined training regimen. Phelps developed an enduring partnership with Bowman, eventually following him to train at the University of Michigan and later at Arizona State University.

Phelps made his Olympic debut at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney at age 15, becoming the youngest American male swimmer to qualify for an Olympic team in 68 years. Although he did not medal in Sydney, he finished fifth in the 200-meter butterfly final. The following year, at age 15 years and 9 months, he broke the world record in the 200-meter butterfly, becoming the youngest male swimmer in history to set a world record.

At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Phelps launched his historic medal-winning era by securing six gold medals and two bronze medals. His gold-medal victories came in the 100-meter butterfly, 200-meter butterfly, 200-meter individual medley, 400-meter individual medley, 4x200-meter freestyle relay, and 4x100-meter medley relay. The eight medals matched Alexander Dityatin's record for the most medals won at a single Olympic Games.

Phelps reached the pinnacle of Olympic achievement at the 2008 Beijing Games, where he entered eight events with the goal of surpassing Mark Spitz's 1972 record of seven gold medals. Phelps won gold in all eight competitions, setting seven world records and one Olympic record in the process. Notable highlights included an anchor comeback by teammate Jason Lezak in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay and a razor-thin victory in the 100-meter butterfly, where Phelps defeated Serbian swimmer Milorad Cavic by 0.01 seconds.

His sweep in Beijing earned him the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year award and elevated his career Olympic gold tally to 14, establishing a modern Olympic record for career individual and total golds.

Entering the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Phelps aimed to refine his competition schedule. Although he opened the meet without a medal in the 400-meter individual medley, he rebounded to capture four gold medals and two silver medals. He claimed individual gold medals in the 100-meter butterfly and 200-meter individual medley, alongside victories in the 4x200-meter freestyle relay and the 4x100-meter medley relay.

With his medal haul in London, Phelps brought his total Olympic medal count to 22, surpassing Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina's long-standing mark of 18 medals to become the most decorated Olympian of all time. He also became the first male swimmer to win the same individual event at three consecutive Olympic Games. After the conclusion of the 2012 Games, Phelps announced his retirement from competitive swimming.

Phelps returned to competitive swimming in April 2014, motivated by a personal desire to enjoy the sport and assist the United States relay program. Working once again with Bob Bowman, he modified his training schedule and conditioning methods. At the 2016 United States Olympic Trials, Phelps qualified for his fifth Olympic Games, becoming the first American male swimmer to achieve five Olympic team selections.

At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Phelps served as the flag bearer for the United States delegation during the Parade of Nations and was voted a team captain. He delivered an exceptional campaign at age 31, capturing five gold medals in the 200-meter butterfly, 200-meter individual medley, 4x100-meter freestyle relay, 4x200-meter freestyle relay, and 4x100-meter medley relay, alongside a silver medal in the 100-meter butterfly.

His victory in the 200-meter individual medley represented his fourth consecutive gold in that event, matching an individual streak achieved only by track and field athletes Al Oerter and Carl Lewis. Phelps permanently retired after the Rio Games with a final record of 28 Olympic medals, including 23 golds.