If there is anyone that can prove to be a tremendously successful Olympic athlete, most would answer right away: Michael Phelps. Phelps is an Olympic swimmer that has won eleven Olympic gold metals, and two bronze metals, from the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, and the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, which makes him the highest gold metal record holder.
Phelps grew up in Baltimore, Maryland where he started swimming at the age of 7. Partly because his sisters were both swimmers, and partly because he was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder, Phelps put all his energy into swimming. By the age of ten he instantly held a world record for his age group. As he continued swimming throughout his adolescence, he kept breaking more and more age records, which led him to a spot in the running for the 2000 Summer Olympics at the age of 15.
At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Phelps competed being the youngest American swimmer at the Games in 68 years. Although Phelps left without a metal, he placed fifth in the 200m butterfly. Shortly after the 2000 Summer Games, Phelps broke the world record in the 200 m butterfly, becoming the youngest man ever to do so.
Out of high school, Phelps went to the University of Michigan where he studied sports marketing and management. Here he volunteered alongside his long time coach Bob Bowman with the University of Michigan swimming team. Phelps however, did not swim for the university team having lost his amateur status by accepting endorsement money from his sponsors Speedo, Visa, Omega, and PowerBar. Instead he trained with a USA swim club associated with the university called Wolverine between 2004-2008.
Phelps went on to compete in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens where he won 8 metals including six gold and two bronze. Had he won seven gold metals he would have been eligible to win a 1 million dollar bonus from his sponsor Speedo. However, this bonus is still on the table as he competes at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Phelps has already won 5 gold so far in Beijing, proving him capable of still winning more.
His fan base consists not only of Americans, but young athletes all over the world. Phelps has developed this reputation as a phenomenal Olympic athlete, and role model for growing young athletes today.
