Michael Phelps
Most Decorated Olympian of All Time
Michael Phelps competed in his first Olympics at the age of 15, as part of the U.S. men’s swim team. He went on to win medals at the Olympic Summer Games in Athens, Beijing, London, and Rio, accumulating a total of 25 medals—21 gold, two silver, and two bronze—and setting the record for the most medal wins by any Olympic athlete. Phelps announced his retirement in 2012, however, in April 2014, he announced he was coming out of retirement and would return to professional competition at the age of 28. In June 2016, he clinched his spot on the 2016 U.S. Olympic swim team, making him the first American male swimmer to earn a spot on five Olympic teams. At the 2016 Olympic Games, he became the oldest individual gold medalist in Olympic swimming history. In addition to his successful swim career, Phelps has written two books and also co-founded the nonprofit organization Swim with the Stars, which holds camps for swimmers of all ages.
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