Won 83 medals in swimming (Photo: Getty Images)
Michael Phelps Story: For example, Usain Bolt’s rule in running on land continues. Well, Michael Phelps has made his mark in swimming in water. As long as he remained active in the world of swimming, his name kept ringing in every corner of the world. The interesting thing is that Michael Phelps, who was known all over the world for his swimming, was once very afraid of water. But, they say that there is victory before fear. Michael Phelps has written the same story of his victory in life. After coming out of America, he dominated the whole world, made a lot of world records and a lot of medals. With all this he was declared the greatest athlete in Olympic history.
How did Michael Phelps start swimming?
Michael Phelps was born on June 30, 1985 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. That is why he is known as “Baltimore Bullet” in the swimming world. Michael Phelps’s association with swimming started from childhood. He was the youngest of three siblings, and his two elder sisters, Hillary and Whitney, were already pursuing careers in swimming. When he turned 7 years old, his parents also started sending him to swimming classes. The purpose behind this was only to teach them swimming. But fate had something else in store. Phelps was so fascinated by swimming that he became engrossed in it and decided to make his career in this sport.
The story of victory is written in front of the one who was afraid.
When Michael Phelps was studying in sixth grade, he was discovered to be afraid of water. It was found that Phelps has ADHD i.e. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. People suffering from this disease are afraid of immersing their face in water. But Phelps turned that fear into his strength. He started his swimming with backstroke.
Forgetting everything, continuous training made him great.
During training, Michael Phelps used to swim 13 kilometers a day, he also swam 6 or 7 kilometers a week. He once said that he never skipped training, even on Christmas and birthdays. Before the Beijing Olympics, there was a rumor of him eating 12,000 calories, to which he said that it was not 12,000, it was 8,000-10,000. This amount of calories was four times more than the 2,500 calories recommended for an average person.
Career of Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps’s career is synonymous with achievements. He made 39 world records in his career, won a total of 83 medals, of which 66 are gold. Out of 83 medals, he has won 28 only in the Olympics and out of those 28, 23 are gold.
Michael Phelps participated in 4 Olympic Games and created history every time. After missing out on a medal in Sydney 2000, he won 6 gold and two bronze medals in Athens 2004. He won a record 8 gold medals in Beijing 2008. By doing this he created Mark Spitz’s record of winning 7 gold in a single Olympics.
Where did Michael Phelps achieve so much success?
Now the question is, how many medals has Michael Phelps won and where? In the Olympic Games, he has won 28 medals including 23 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze. Michael Phelps has won 27 golds in the World Championships. Apart from that, also won 6 silver and 1 bronze. Michael Phelps also has 21 medals in his name in the Pan Pacific Championships, which includes 5 silver and 16 gold.
Michael Phelps’ net worth time line in the last 10 years
Talking about the net worth of Michael Phelps, there has been a jump in it in the last 10 years. According to the Fortune report, Michael Phelps’s net worth increased from 352 to 396 crores ($44 million) in 2016, which increased to 80 million dollars i.e. ₹660 – ₹670 crore in 2021. The net worth of Michael Phelps in 2025 is estimated at 100 million dollars i.e. Rs 903 crore.
Michael Phelps also made some mistakes in his career. The marijuana use controversy in 2009 and the drunk driving controversy in 2014 are examples of the same. But they say that every mistake teaches something. Phelps also learned from his mistakes. He is now a mental health advocate and helps children through his foundation.