Michael Fred Phelps II is a world-renowned Olympic swimmer, most notable for holding the world record of winning the most number of gold medals in the Olympic Games, as well as being the most decorated Olympian of all time. He holds a total of 22 medals, eighteen of them gold. Michael is known in the world today as the one who popularized the sport of swimming due to his amazing athletic abilities. He has set numerous records, beaten his own records, and is hailed as one of the greatest athletes not only of his generation, but also of the past.

During his era, Michael has dominated the world of swimming with his unique talent, his amazing passion and incredible speed. He has set records in almost every type of swimming competition, earning him numerous awards. He has been named the World Swimmer of the Year seven times and American Swimmer of the Year nine times. These, among over one hundred awards and prizes that he has won in various international competitions truly prove how remarkable Michael is.

Like a normal human being, Michael is subject to the same fears and problems that we all face in our road to success. But what makes him stand out is the fact that in spite of all the discouraging and disappointing obstacles that threaten him from reaching his goal, Michael never stops moving forward in achieving what he has set himself to do. He knows what he wants, and never allows himself to quit, pushing forward until he achieves victory.

This is what Michael said in an interview when he was asked what kept him from quitting:

“Well my mom would ask me 'Are you sure that's the best decision?' And I'd think, think, think. And I'd realize that actually it wasn't the best decision. At a very young age, I wrote down the goals that I had so I could always see what I wanted to accomplish. And I would look at that goal sheet and think 'I still want to do this.' So I'd decide 'I'm not quitting.'”

This determination and perseverance has helped Michael to keep going. Do not get him wrong, Michael has had his fair share of disappointments and discouraging situations, which if compared to a lot of us, may even seem too extreme to handle. But because of his undying persistence and focus in moving toward the goals that he set, Michael has proven that with the right way of dealing with those disappointments, one can turn the stumbling blocks into stepping stones to propel him or her towards their destiny.

Michael often says:

“I have had extreme ups and downs. The biggest thing I learned after I broke my wrist is to never give up. Nothing in life will ever come easy. It depends on how you deal with those obstacles and how you overcome those obstacles. If you can overcome them, you're a stronger person. If you make mistakes along the way, as long as you never make that same mistake again, you're a successful person.”

Medals, awards and prizes do motivate Michael to become better at what he does, but what really makes him the best in his field is that he enjoys what he is doing. Oftentimes, we get so caught up with trying to accumulate as much recognitions as possible, and when we do not, we get so frustrated and look back at our career in such a negative way that we think we failed. Michael, however, does not see his own life that way. While his achievements do matter to him, they are not his basis of whether his life was successful or not. To him, all that matters is whether or not you were able to do the things that you have always wanted to do, and this is why he is so secure and comfortable in his sport of swimming… He simply loves it.

During an interview, when Michael was asked what his ultimate goal is, he simply answered:

“I would have been able to complete everything that I've ever wanted. If I can look back on my career and say I've done everything I've ever wanted, no matter how many medals, no matter how many records, no matter how many this, that, whatever, if I can look back in my career and say, it doesn't matter with anything else. I consider my career a success.”

With all of his accomplishments, Michael does not just want to have it all to himself. Aside from being a gifted athlete, Michael is also an accomplished philanthropist. He is the founder and the head of the Michael Phelps Foundation, a charitable organization that seeks to support the growing sport of swimming and promoting active and healthy lifestyles. Through his organization, Michael has been able to share not only his love for swimming, but also his desire to see others succeed.

In an interview regarding his dealings with young people, Michael states:

“The biggest thing is I talk about how I got to where I am—a dream, a plan and I reach for it. That's literally all - how I got to where I am. And that's literally just what I try to—get across to the kids. And, you know, they see that and, you know, the cool thing is, being able to, one, hear the stories about things they've overcome. Two, the changes they've been able to make whether it's goal setting, whether it's eating healthier. You know, whether they become water safe. It's all these things and when you see the excitement of them telling you the story, that's the coolest thing in the world.”

Early Biography

Michael Phelps was born in 1985 in Towson, Maryland, a small town found a few miles north of the city of Baltimore. He was the youngest of the three children of Michael Fred Phelps (a retired state trooper who in his high school years played football and tried out for the Washington Redskins in his college years) and Deborah Sue Davisson (who worked as a principal in a local middle school). Living in a well to do family, Michael grew up with the normal comforts that the Rodgers Forge community can offer.

Though swimming was not really Michael’s first choice, he started learning the sport when he was seven years old due to his sisters whose influence was key in Michael’s decision to start swimming. Since he was young, Michael would often be invited by his sisters to join them in the pool, so eventually he got interested. In an interview, Michael related how he got introduced to the sport of swimming:

“I grew up around the pool with my sisters. Both of my sisters swam. I was always there. So I thought, why not? My mom put us in the water for water safety, so we were comfortable in the water in case anything ever happened. I learned that way, and started liking it more and more.”

In 1994, when Michael was nine years old, his parents separated due to irreconcilable differences. Although his parents remained in contact with each other, this event greatly affected Michael and his siblings. From then on, Deborah took care of her three children on her own. Eventually, Michael’s father Fred remarried in 2000.

Michael’s mom Deborah had a great impact on his life, especially when she started raising him on her own. It was through Deborah’s guidance that Michael learned to focus on what really was important, and what he should make as his number one priority. In an interview made with Michael years later, he said of his mom:

“My mom instilled in me at a very early age how important education was and how that came first. I couldn't go play sports if we didn't get everything else done—and I love sports. I'd go from the swimming pool to school to the swimming pool, come home and do my homework. I'm kind of a creature of habit. Once I get used to doing things, it's like second nature.”

Overcoming ADHD

In his sixth grade, Michael was diagnosed to be suffering from ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), a behavioral condition that causes a person to be inattentive or have hyperactivity or impulsiveness. In spite of this disorder, Michael’s mother Deborah never once spoke negatively of Michael’s condition; instead, she treated Michael normally and kept on encouraging him to always be his best. Michael eventually learned to use ADHD to his advantage, as he stated in an interview done with him years later when he was asked how he dealt with ADHD:

“It helped me relax. I felt comfortable in the water. I was in my own world, focused. I love sports and I'm a very goal-oriented person. Once I started falling in love with sports, it was easy. I was able to put my mind on something and go for it. That's how I am with everything, it doesn't matter what it is that I do. If I want to do something, nothing will stand in my way.”

Because of Michael’s positive perspective on life, having ADHD actually became a blessing to him because it helped him focus on swimming all the more that by the age of ten he made a national record for swimmers of his age group. Not long after, Bob Bowman, a coach for the North Baltimore Aquatic Club saw the amazing potential that Michael had and took the young swimmer under his wing. Michael then continued to improve throughout the following years, setting records and building popularity, so much so that in 2000, at age 15, Michael qualified for that year’s Summer Olympics, becoming the youngest male Olympic swimmer in sixty eight years. And while he did not win a medal (which in a way brought a little disappointment to the young Michael who was looking to make history), Michael landed fifth in the 200-meter butterfly category, which was quite a feat for someone of his age.

This initial setback did not cause Michael to quit. He continued training and improving his swimming skills that the following year, Michael broke the world record in the 200-meter butterfly category at the World Championship Trials for that year’s World Aquatic Championships. This not only made Michael the youngest person to ever set a swimming world record (at age fifteen, besting even Ian Thorpe’s record of sixteen years old), but established his reputation that when he joined the World Championships that year, Michael made his first championship and even broke the record that he set in the trials.

The Start of a Legend: The Pan Pacific Swimming Championships

From then on, it was just upward for Michael. In 2002, during that year’s Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, Michael got three gold medals (at the 200 meter, 400 meter individual rallies and the 4x100 m medley relay) and two silver medals. He did not set any new records, but the fact that he was able to get very close (in a matter of seconds) in breaking the already established records, it was enough to convince all those who saw him swim that he was going to set the standard for a new generation of swimmers.

This was proven true, and during the 2006 Pan Pacific Championships, Michael literally dominated the swimming arena, winning five gold medals and setting new records for the 200-meter butterfly, 400-meter butterfly, 4x100-meter freestyle relay and 200-meter individual medley events. In 2010, Michael’s third time in joining the competition, he won gold medals in all of the events he joined in, and even made a new record for the 100-meter butterfly event, finishing at 50.86 seconds. He did have some disappointments, such as the 200-meter butterfly event (which Michael dubbed as the “worst” 200-meter event of his life), but the fact that no one was able to beat him in this category since he joined in 2002 was enough to say that he really was the best in this field.

Joining International Competitions: The World Aquatic Championships

From his achievements in the Pan Pacific Championships, Michael moved on to make a name for himself at the World Aquatics Championships in 2003. He has since participated in most of the World Aquatics Championships events (2003, 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2011), and has set records that got him in the attention of the international swimming community. In his first time at the championships, Michael brought home four gold medals and two silver medals, making him the first American swimmer to have won three different races in three different strokes.

During the 2005 World Aquatics Championships, Michael increased his number of medals to five, winning five out of the six events that he competed in (he won silver in the 100-meter butterfly event). He kept on practicing and improving his skills, so much so that two years later, when he joined the World Aquatics Championships again, Michael won gold in every event that he participated in, and even broke numerous records (some set by others, and some set by himself during the last time he joined).

Michael kept his winning streak in the next two instances of competing in the World Aquatics Championships. In the 2009 championships, Michael won five gold medals and one silver medal, easily winning against his opponents with superior speed and further setting new world records in the events he joined. In 2011, Michael had his first bronze medal at the 4x100-meter freestyle relay which he won along with fellow swimmers Garret Weber-Gale, Nathan Adrian and Jason Lezak. In spite of this initial setback, Michael went on to win four gold medals, making his last appearance at the World Championships a performance to remember.

The Olympic Games: Michael’s Amazing World Record

But Michael did not stop there. He went on to compete and dominate the arena which gave him the world’s attention (both swimmer and non-swimmer alike), the Olympic Games. In 2004, Michael competed in eight various events, winning six gold medals and two bronze medals. His performance at the Olympic events was hailed by many as extraordinarily superb, not only setting new world records but also besting the likes of Ian Crocker, Jason Lezak and Neil Walker, all known to be the best in their respective fields of events. Michael further proved his outstanding swimming abilities four years later, when he joined the 2008 Summer Olympics and won gold medals in all of the eight events he competed in. Breaking his own world records, Michael also broke the world record for the most number of gold medals won in the Olympic games (the previous holder only had nine in his entire Olympic career; Michael at this point had fourteen). Michael ended his Olympic swimming career by adding another four gold medals and two silver medals in the 2012 Summer Olympics, establishing himself as the most decorated Olympian of all time.

Facing Controversies: Drunk Driving and Drug Use

Throughout his life, Michael has faced numerous controversies and obstacles that would have derailed his career had he not have the right perspective in facing them. In 2004, when he was nineteen years old, Michael was arrested by the authorities after he was accused of driving under the influence of alcohol. Regarding this incident, Michael publicly apologized for his behavior and attended a Mothers Against Drunk Driving meeting.

In 2009, a picture of Michael using a water pipe (a device used in smoking “pot” or marijuana) was published, causing him to not only be suspended for three months in swimming, but to also lose Kellogg, one of his major sponsors. Michael did not make any efforts to deny the photo, and publicly apologized for his “inappropriate” behavior.

This controversy was an eye-opener for Michael as it really messed his career. In spite of the discouraging comments that came after this incident, Michael decided to move on with his life, and not to let the consequences of his actions derail him to reach his goal—to enjoy the sport of swimming and win. He said in an interview:

“I guess, I literally have made a boatload of mistakes and, you know, that's a part of growing and learning and I guess becoming an adult. You know, you—with every mistake that you make, you obviously have to pay for the consequences that come your way.”

A year later, Michael suffered a wrist injury, which resulted in him having to rest for a couple of months before he could get out and compete again. Although the injury caused Michael to lose six months of practicing, he took something positive out of it that helped him end competitive swimming career on a high note. When he was interviewed a year later on the injury, he simply stated:

“It made me realize that things can change in the blink of an eye and it also made me realize that when you use your imagination anything can happen. I was very negative for the first few days after I found out my wrist was broken, and I had a lot of time to think. I realized that all the people that told me I can't do it, that this is going to make it even harder. You know what? I'm gonna do it.”

The Michael Phelps Foundation

In 2008, after receiving the one-million dollar bonus that Speedo awarded him for winning the Olympics, Michael established the Michael Phelps Foundation to focus on the growing sport of swimming and promote healthier and more successful lifestyles for the young generation. Through the partnerships that Michael and his foundation have made since its inception, he has been able to reach out to thousands of children and teach them the importance of living active and healthy lives. Currently, Michael focuses a lot of his time in the foundation, hoping to be able to reach more children to help them succeed like he did.

Michael retired from competitive swimming in 2012, after that year’s Summer Olympics. While he insisted that he would no longer be competing from that time on, he did say that he would never stop doing what he loved to do—swimming. This is what made Michael secure in the midst of all the controversy and seemingly overwhelming situations he faced in his life. It was not all about winning championships or dominating other competitors—it was simply enjoying the sport and sharing it to others. Today, Michael remains to be as fired up in his sport as he was when he competed, and looks forward to help other people achieve success in life as well.

Organizations and Programmes Supported

• Michael Phelps Foundation
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America
• KidsHealth.org
• Caps for a Cause

Awards and Achievements

• 2001: Received the American Swimmer of the Year Award from Swimming World Magazine
• 2002: Received the American Swimmer of the Year Award from Swimming World Magazine
• 2002: Won the 200-meter Individual Medley at the Pan Pacific Championships
• 2002: Won the 400-meter Individual Medley at the Pan Pacific Championships
• 2002: Won the 4x100-meter Medley Relay at the Pan Pacific Championships
• 2003: Received the World Swimmer of the Year Award from Swimming World Magazine
• 2003: Received the American Swimmer of the Year Award from Swimming World Magazine
• 2003: Received the James E. Sullivan Award
• 2003: Won the 200-meter Butterfly at the World Championships
• 2003: Won the 200-meter Individual Medley at the World Championships
• 2003: Won the 400-meter Individual Medley at the World Championships
• 2003: Won the 4x100-meter Medley Relay at the World Championships
• 2004: Received the World Swimmer of the Year Award from Swimming World Magazine
• 2004: Received the American Swimmer of the Year Award from Swimming World Magazine
• 2004: Received the Golden Goggle Award for Male Performance of the Year
• 2004: Received the Golden Goggle Award for Relay Performance of the Year
• 2004: Received the Golden Goggle Award for Male Athlete of the Year
• 2004: Received the Sportsman of the Year Award from USOC
• 2004: Won the 100-meter Butterfly at the Summer Olympic Games
• 2004: Won the 200-meter Butterfly at the Summer Olympic Games
• 2004: Won the 200-meter Individual Medley at the Summer Olympic Games
• 2004: Won the 400-meter Individual Medley at the Summer Olympic Games
• 2004: Won the 4x200-meter Freestyle Relay at the Summer Olympic Games
• 2004: Won the 4x100-meter Medley Relay at the Summer Olympic Games
• 2004: Street in Baltimore named The Michael Phelps Way
• 2005: Won the 200-meter Freestyle at the World Championships
• 2005: Won the 200-meter Individual Medley at the World Championships
• 2005: Won the 4x100-meter Freestyle Relay at the World Championships
• 2005: Won the 4x200-meter Freestyle Relay at the World Championships
• 2005: Won the 4x100-meter Medley Relay at the World Championships
• 2006: Received the World Swimmer of the Year Award from Swimming World Magazine
• 2006: Received the American Swimmer of the Year Award from Swimming World Magazine
• 2006: Received the Golden Goggle Award for Male Performance of the Year
• 2006: Received the Golden Goggle Award for Relay Performance of the Year
• 2006: Won the 200-meter Butterfly at the Pan Pacific Championships
• 2006: Won the 200-meter Individual Medley at the Pan Pacific Championships
• 2006: Won the 400-meter Individual Medley at the Pan Pacific Championships
• 2006: Won the 4x100-meter Freestyle Relay at the Pan Pacific Championships
• 2006: Won the 4x200-meter Freestyle Relay at the Pan Pacific Championships
• 2007: Received the World Swimmer of the Year Award from Swimming World Magazine
• 2007: Received the American Swimmer of the Year Award from Swimming World Magazine
• 2007: Received the Golden Goggle Award for Male Performance of the Year
• 2007: Received the Golden Goggle Award for Relay Performance of the Year
• 2007: Received the Golden Goggle Award for Male Athlete of the Year
• 2007: Won Gold Medals for all joined competitions at the World Championships
• 2008: Received the World Swimmer of the Year Award from Swimming World Magazine
• 2008: Received the American Swimmer of the Year Award from Swimming World Magazine
• 2008: Received the Golden Goggle Award for Male Performance of the Year
• 2008: Received the Golden Goggle Award for Relay Performance of the Year
• 2008: Received the Golden Goggle Award for Male Athlete of the Year
• 2008: Received the Sportsman of the Year Award from USOC
• 2008: Named Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated
• 2008: Named Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press
• 2008: Won Gold Medals for all joined competitions at the Summer Olympic Games
• 2009: Received the World Swimmer of the Year Award from Swimming World Magazine
• 2009: Received the American Swimmer of the Year Award from Swimming World Magazine
• 2009: Received the Golden Goggle Award for Male Performance of the Year
• 2009: Received the Golden Goggle Award for Relay Performance of the Year
• 2009: Honored by the Maryland Senate for Olympic Accomplishments
• 2009: Won the 100-meter Butterfly at the World Championships
• 2009: Won the 200-meter Butterfly at the World Championships
• 2009: Won the 4x100-meter Freestyle Relay at the World Championships
• 2009: Won the 4x200-meter Freestyle Relay at the World Championships
• 2009: Won the 4x100-meter Medley Relay at the World Championships
• 2010: Named Swimmer of the Year by FINA
• 2010: Won Gold Medals for all joined competitions at the Pan Pacific Championships
• 2011: Named Swimmer of the Year by FINA
• 2011: Received the Sportsman of the Year Award from USOC
• 2011: Won the 100-meter Butterfly at the World Championships
• 2011: Won the 200-meter Butterfly at the World Championships
• 2011: Won the 4x200-meter Freestyle at the World Championships
• 2011: Won the 4x100-meter Medley at the World Championships
• 2012: Received the World Swimmer of the Year Award from Swimming World Magazine
• 2012: Received the American Swimmer of the Year Award from Swimming World Magazine
• 2012: Named Swimmer of the Year by FINA
• 2012: Received the Golden Goggle Award for Male Athlete of the Year
• 2012: Received the Sportsman of the Year Award from USOC
• 2012: Named Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press
• 2012: Won the 100-meter Butterfly at the Summer Olympic Games
• 2012: Won the 200-meter Individual Medley at the Summer Olympic Games
• 2012: Won the 4x200-meter Freestyle Relay at the Summer Olympic Games
• 2012: Won the 4x100-meter Medley Relay at the Summer Olympic Games
• Holds the World Record for Most Olympic Gold Medals
• Holds the World Record for Most Olympic Gold Medals in Individual Events
• Holds the World Record for Most Olympic Gold Medals at Single Games

RESOURCES:
Parenting (Superstar Interview: Michael Phelps)
CNN (Piers Morgan Tonight: Interview with Michael Phelps)
Wikipedia (Michael Phelps)
Biography (Michael Phelps)