Michael Phelps is unarguably one of the best swimmers the world has ever seen. He won numerous medals and shattered several world records in the course of his glittering career. Phelps is also the most decorated Olympian of all time, with a haul of 28 Olympic medals, a feat surpassing the achievements of no less than 161 countries. Alongside the likes of Usain Bolt, Roger Federer, and Serena Williams, Phelps ranks as one of the greatest sportsmen the world has ever seen.
As you will easily find, he began swimming at the age of 7, and when he turned 10, he had won the national 100m butterfly title for members of his age group. He did this in style, as he created a new national record to go with it. In the years that followed, he pulled off much more great feats as a competitive swimmer.
Michael Phelps is the Most Decorated Olympian of All Time
Shortly after he took to competitive swimming, Phelps joined the North Baltimore Aquatic Club, where he began a lifelong partnership with the illustrious coach, Bob Bowman. Under Bowman’s tutelage, Phelps qualified for the Sydney 2000 Olympics at the age of 15, making him the youngest male to make the U.S. swim team in at least 70 years.
At the event, Phelps did not win any medals, but this did not dampen his spirit. He worked harder, and in 2001, he won gold in the 200m butterfly at the World Championships. He created a new world record in the process as the youngest male athlete (15 years and 9 months) to break a world swimming record. Michael Phelps did not relent, and for the next decade that followed, he won many more medals and broke more records.
In major international long course competitions that include the Pan Pacific Championships, World Championships, and the Olympics, he has won no fewer than 82 medals made up of three bronze, 14 silver, and 65 gold. Famed as the most decorated Olympian of all time, he has won 23 Olympic gold medals, 3 silver, and 2 bronze. In all, he has won 28 medals in both team and individual events.
He’s an Eight-time Swimming World Swimmer of the Year
The last time he bagged the gong was in 2016. Before that, he received the prestigious award in 2003 and 2004. He also won the award consecutively from 2006 to 2009, and then, in 2012. In addition to that, he has also bagged the Swimming World’s American Swimmer of the Year Award 11 times. He received it consecutively from 2001 to 2004, 2006 to 2009, and then in 2012, 2015, and 2016, respectively.
Below is a list of other coveted awards that Michael Phelps received:
- 2003’s James E. Sullivan Award
- Gazzetta Dello Sport Sportsman of the Year 2003 and 2004
- Associated Press Athlete of the Year 2008 and 2012
- Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year 2008
- 2008’s Marca Leyenda Award
- 2016’s Golden Goggle Impact Award
- FINA Swimmer of the Year 2012 and 2016
- SwimSwam Swammy Award for Male Swimmer of the Year 2016
- Five-time USOC Sportsman of the Year Award
- Five-time winner of Golden Goggle Relay Performance of the Year
- Six-time winner of Golden Goggle Male Performance of the Year
- Seven-time winner of Golden Goggle Male Athlete of the Year
The Retired Competitive Swimmer Holds Numerous Guinness World Record
Given the foregoing, it is clear that history would have a hard time forgetting the attainments of Michael Phelps not only as a competitive swimmer but also as a sportsman. He holds numerous world records and as culled from Guinness World Record, the following are the records he still holds.
- Most world records set for swimming (male)
- Most medals won at the Olympics for swimming (male)
- Most medals won at the FINA Swimming World Championships
- Most Olympic gold medals in team swimming
- Most gold medals won consecutively at the Olympics by an individual (male)
- Fastest swim long course relay 4 x 200 meters freestyle (male)
- Fastest swim long course relay 4 x 100 meters medley (male)
- Fastest swim long course relay 4 x 100 meters freestyle (male)
- Most Olympic golds at one Game (male)
- Most Olympic medals won, men
- Fastest swim long course 400 meters medley (male)
- Most silver medals awarded in a single Olympic swimming race
- Most Olympic medals won (single games), men
- Most swimming Olympic medals won, men (single games)
- Most gold medals won at the Olympics (male)
With all of the things he has accomplished in the sport, it is only natural that a lot of people have wondered how much his successes have translated into financial rewards.
Michael Phelps Has An Estimated Net Worth of $80 Million
Following his unprecedented success, Michael Phelps became disillusioned with competitive swimming at some point. He no longer found joy in it, and hence, retired from the sport in 2012. The Baltimore native, however, made a triumphant comeback in May 2014, winning the 100m butterfly in a national meet.
Phelps subsequently represented his country at the 2016 Rio Olympics, winning 5 gold medals and 1 silver. He announced his retirement again after Rio. Since then, he has not competed again, but the wealth he had acquired would keep him living large for the rest of his life.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, the former competitive swimmer is a multimillionaire, and his net worth has been estimated at $80 million. Nonetheless, no one needs to be told that most of his wealth came from his career. He has won numerous medals, and it is said that the United States Olympic Committee pays athletes $10,000 for bronze, $15,000 for silver, and $25,000 for gold.
Endorsement Deals Have Contributed to His Massive Fortune
Also, his wealth comes from several sources that revolve around juicy endorsement deals. Given his incredible achievements, it is not surprising that several companies were very eager to have him as their ambassador. Some of them are Subway, Visa, AT&T, Under Armour, and Speedo.
He has made a great deal of wealth from partnering with these organizations. For instance, he received a $1 million bonus from Speedo after he won eight gold medals in Beijing. Being public-spirited, he launched the Michael Phelps Foundation and donated the money to it. Phelps has also created swimsuit lines in collaboration with swim gear manufacturers such as Aqua Sphere and Speedo.
Phelps Started Dating His Wife After They Met at The 2007 ESPYs
Michael Phelps is married to Nicole Johnson. Their relationship has been traced back to 2007 when they met at the Espy. But then, it was in 2009 that they began to take things seriously. For reasons best known to them, they parted ways in 2012, only to reconcile and resume their relationship in 2014. They didn’t waste time in working towards being life partners thereafter, as they got engaged in February 2015.
Phelps and Nicole tied the knot in a very private ceremony on the 13th of June 2016. The wedding was so private that it only became public knowledge some months after the nuptials.
The Couple Are Parents to Three Sons
They gave birth to their first child named Boomer Robert sometime in May 2016, and in February 2018, they welcomed Beckett Richard. Their third child named Maverick Nicolas was born on the 9th of September 2019.
While Phelps and Nicole’s children are still very young, even their parents can’t tell what future they would desire for themselves. But the retired swimmer has made it clear that he wouldn’t pressure his kids to embrace a career in swimming.
For him, it is ideal to allow them to figure out who they are, and what they’d love to do with their lives. What he and Nicole would be doing is to support and guide them.
What You Should Know About Michael Phelps’ Wife and the Family He Hailed From
Nicole Michele Phelps is an alum of the University of Southern California. She studied sports and entertainment communication and graduated in 2007. Phelps’ wife is a model and the winner of the Miss California Pageant in 2010. She went on to represent her state at the national level and finished in the top ten.
Michael Fred Phelps ll was born on the 30th of June 1985, in Baltimore, Marland. He grew up in Rodgers Forge in Towson and attended schools such as Rodgers Forge Elementary School, Dumbarton Middle School, and Towson High School.
The swimmer hails from a family of five. His father’s name is Michael Fred while his mother’s name is Deborah Sue. His mom was a school principal while his father worked in law enforcement. Phelps’ parents got divorced when he was a child, and the split caused a rift between him and his dad. He has two older sisters, namely Whitney and Hilary.
