1. Michael Phelps, known by his nickname "Flying Fish" and "Baltimore Bullet," was born on June 30, 1985. Standing at 1.93 meters tall and weighing 79 kilograms, Phelps hails from Baltimore, Maryland, and trained in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He excels in various swimming styles, including butterfly, individual medley, freestyle, and backstroke. Phelps achieved success at the 2004 Athens Olympics, winning six gold medals and two bronze medals. He further solidified his swimming dominance at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where he took home eight gold medals.
2. Phelps' coach is Bob Bowman, who majored in sports management during his college years. Members of Phelps' family include his father Fred (a police officer), mother Debbie (a teacher), and two sisters. He owns a pet dog named Herman and enjoys video games, watching TV, and sleeping.
3. Phelps has published an autobiography titled "Beneath the Surface" and has collaborated with various companies in the commercial sector, including Speedo, Visa, Argent Mortgage, Omega, Wheaties, Powerbar, Matusnichi, and TV Asahi, among others. His training regimen includes six to seven sessions per week, amounting to six hours of swimming per day.
4. At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Phelps secured fifth place in the 200-meter butterfly. In 2001, he broke the world record for the 200-meter butterfly, becoming the youngest record holder. At the 2003 World Championships, Phelps broke five world records and won four gold medals. His success continued at the 2004 Athens Olympics, where he secured six gold medals and two bronze medals. In 2007, at the Melbourne World Championships, he won seven gold medals, breaking the record for the most gold medals won at a single World Championship.
5. Behind Phelps' success is a supportive family. His mother, Debbie, is a teacher and a "proud mother" as well as a "childhood expert." She never gave up on nurturing her son and understood his unique needs. Diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as a child, Phelps received guidance and support from his mother and coach Bob Bowman, overcoming challenges to become an exceptional swimmer.
