August 13, 2008
4x200m freestyle relay - Beijing Olympics
April 14, 2008
BIOGRAPHY
Michael Phelps is an American swimmer and World Record
Holder in several events. Phelps' achievements
include a record of eight medals at the 2004 Summer
Olympics in Athens, six of which were gold, tying
the Olympic record for medals at single Olympics,
held by Alexander Dityatin since 1980. Phelps's
international titles, along with his various world
records, have resulted in him being named World
Swimmer of the Year four times in 2003, 2004, 2006
and 2007.
At the age of 15, Phelps competed at the 2000 Summer
Olympics in Sydney. He was the youngest American
male swimmer at an Olympic Games in 68 years. While
he did not win a medal, he was fifth in the 200 m
Butterfly. Phelps proceeded to make a name for
himself in swimming shortly thereafter. Five months
after the Sydney Olympics, Phelps broke the world
record in the 200 m butterfly to become, at 15 years
and 9 months, the youngest man ever to set a
swimming world record. He then broke his own record
again at the World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan
(1:54.58). At the 2002 Summer Nationals in Fort
Lauderdale, Phelps also broke the world record for
the 400 m individual medley and set American marks
in the 100 m butterfly and the 200 m individual
medley.
In 2003, Phelps broke his own world record in the
400 m individual medley (4:09.09) and in June, he
broke the world record in the 200 m individual
medley (1:56.04). Then on July 7, 2004, Phelps broke
his own world record again in the 400 m individual
medley (4:08.41) during the U.S. trials for the 2004
Summer Olympics.
Phelps grew up in the Rodgers Forge neighborhood of
Baltimore, Maryland, and graduated from Towson High
School in 2003. His father, Fred Phelps, worked with
the Maryland State Police and his mother, Debbie
Davisson Phelps, has worked as a school teacher and
administrator. The two divorced in 1994. Michael has
two older sisters, Whitney and Hilary. Both of them
were swimmers as well, with Whitney coming close to
making the U.S. Team for the 1996 Summer Olympics
before injuries derailed her career.
In his youth, Michael was diagnosed with
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). He
started swimming at age seven, partly because of the
influence of his sisters and partly to provide him
with an outlet for his restless energy. He blossomed
quickly as a swimmer, and by the age of 10 held a
national record for his age group. More age group
records followed, and Michael's rapid improvement
culminated in his qualifying for the 2000 Summer
Olympics at the age of 15.
In November 2004, Phelps was arrested for drunken
driving in Salisbury, Maryland. He pled guilty the
following month and was granted probation before
judgment and ordered to serve 18 months probation.
As of 2007, Phelps is now attending the University
of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, intending to
major in sports marketing or sports management.
Phelps followed his longtime coach, Bob Bowman to
Ann Arbor. Bowman left Phelps' previous swim team,
the North Baltimore Aquatic Club, to become the head
coach of the University of Michigan varsity swim
team. Phelps is serving as a volunteer assistant
coach, but cannot swim for the university's team
because of his loss of amateur status. Phelps is
sponsored by Speedo, Visa, Omega, PowerBar, and
Matsunichi.
Phelps, along with Ian Crocker and Lenny
Krayzelburg, founded the "Swim with the Stars"
program. This program promotes swimming and conducts
camps for swimmers of all ages.
