Michael Phelps was born on June 30,
1985 to Debbie and Fred Phelps. He has two sisters, Whitney and
Hillary.
1992
At age seven, he began swimming.
His sister Whitney was also a swimmer and was a member of the
1994 World Championship Team.
2000
Placed 5th in 2000
Olympic Games for 200m butterfly (1:56.50)
2001
First Place and broke world record
for 200m butterfly (1:54.58) at LC World Championships
2002
Three first place and two second
place finishes at Pan Pacs (1st place in 200m
individual medley relay (1:59.70), 400m medley relay (4:12.48),
4x100m medley relay (3:33.48) [world record] and 2nd
place in 200m butterfly (1:55.41), 4x200 free relay (7:11.81)
2003
Three first place and two second
place finishes at the LC World Championships, including breaking
five world records at the meet (1st place in 200m
butterfly (1:54.35), 200m individual medley (1:56.04) [world
record], 400m individual medley (4:09.09) [world record] and 2nd
place in 100 m butterfly (51.10), 4x200 free relay (7:10.26). He
was the first person to win in three different strokes in one
national championship. [Note: his other three world records were
achieved during the semi-final rounds]
Awarded the Sullivan Award (given
to the top amateur athlete)
He graduated from Towson High
School in Towson, Maryland (a suburb of Baltimore).
2004
The first American to win eight
medals (6 gold, 2 bronze) in one Olympiad [Note: Mark Spitz won
7, although they were all Gold.]. He was also the first swimmer
to ever qualify for six individual events at one Olympiad.
Gold Medals: 100m butterfly
(51.25), 200m butterfly (1:54:.04), 200 m individual medley
(1:57.14), 400 m individual medley (4:08.26), 4x200m free relay
(7:07.33), 4 x 100 m medley relay (3:30.68)
First place at SC World
Championships for 200m free relay (1:43:59)
Began attending classes at the
University of Michigan.
2005
Four first place finishes at the
American Short Course Championships: 200 yd freestyle (1:32:08); 400
yd IM (3:42.74); 100 yard Freestyle (00:42.53); and 200 yard
IM (1:42.78), a second place finish in the 4x100 free relay
(2:57:49) and a third place finish in the 200 yd breaststroke
(1:58:31).
At the 2005 World Championship Trials
he placed first in all five competitions: 400 Freestyle (3:47.79);
200 Freestyle (1:46.44); 100 Butterfly (51.34); 100
Freestyle (49.00); and 200 IM (1:57.4).
He followed this up with a clean sweep
at the Stanford University Invitational Grand Prix finishing first
in all six events: 100 Back (54.92); 400 IM (4:17.06);
400 Free (3:51.94); 200 Back (1:59.94); 200 Fly (1:57.31);
100 Free (49.82).
For the World
Championships in Montreal, Canada (from July 17th to the
31st), Michael Phelps won five gold and one silver medal
(this includes three golds for the relay).
2006
Placed in first in five events at the
Pan Pacific Championships (four being World Records): 200 m
butterfly, 200 m individual medley, 400 m individual medley,
4x100 m freestyle relay, 4x200 m freestyle relay
2007
Seven Gold medals at the 2007 World
Championships: 200 m freestyle (1:43.86 - World Record); 100 m
butterfly (50.77); 200 m butterfly (1:52:09 - World Record); 200 m
individual medley (1:54.98 - World Record); 400 m individual medley
(4:06.22 - World Record); 4x100 m freestyle relay (2:12.72);
4x200 m freestyle relay (7:03.24 - World Record)
2008
Can you say GOLD? Phelps has
become the only person to win 8 Gold Medals in a single
Olympic game to break Mark Spitz record of 7 Gold medals (while setting a world record in each event except
the 100 m butterfly) in the following events: 400 m individual
medley (4:03.84); 4x100 m freestyle relay (3:08.24); 200 m freestyle
(1:42.96); 200 m butterfly (1:52.03); 4x200 m freestyle relay
(6:58.56); 200 m individual relay (1:54.23); 100 m butterfly
(50.58); and 4x100 m medley relay (3:29.32)
2009
At the 2009 World
Championship Phelps Took home 6 Gold Medals along with a World
Record for five of those medals, and also added an extra Silver for
good measure. His gold medals and world record times are as
follows: 100 m butterfly (49.82); 200 m butterfly (1:51.51); 4×200
m freestyle relay (6:58.55); 4×100 m medley relay (3:27.28). His
time for the gold medal in the 4×100 m freestyle relay was 3:09.21,
and the time for his silver in 200 m freestyle was 1:43.22.
2010
At the National
Championships he won the Gold in three out of five events. Phelps
then put in a spectacular showing at his next event and won five
Gold medals in all five events he competed in at the 2010 Pan
Pacific Championships.
2011
Michael Phelps added
four more gold medals to add to his trophy case at the 2011 World
Championships (100 m butterfly, 200 m butterfly, 4x200 m freestyle,
and 4x100 m medley). He also added two silver and one bronze medal.
2012
He said that he will be
competing in this summer's Olympic games. However, he has not
decided on what events he will be swimming in. However, he said he
will not be competing in eight events. He also hinted that this will
probably be the last time he competes at the Olympic Games.
Other Stuff about Michael:
Sports Illustrated
chose Michael Phelps as the 2008 Sportsman of the Year.
Some critics believed
that he was taking performance enhancement drugs during the 2008
Olympics because they could not believe that anyone could ever win
eight medals like he did. However, Phelps took drug test nine
times (more than was required) and passed all nine.
Controversy: In 2009 Michael Phelps admitted to
smoking marijuana out of a bong (after pictures of him smoking
appeared in a British tabloid) and stated that it was a "behavior
which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment." However,
USA Swimming suspended him from competition for three months and Kellog's stated that they will not renew his endorsement contract.
In 2008 he set up the
Michael Phelps Foundation with his $1 million dollar bonus from
Speedo to help the sport of swimming and a healthier lifestyle.
Hobbies and Interests: Lacrosse,
baseball, soccer, video games (XBox)
Favorites: food = lasagna, pretzels, cheeseburgers, French vanilla
ice cream in a waffle cone, music = rap, movie = Austin Powers
Honors and Awards
World Swimmer of the
Year Award: 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
American Swimmer of the
Year Award: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Golden Goggle Male
Performance of the Year: 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009[
Golden Goggle Relay
Performance of the Year: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Golden Goggle Male
Athlete of the Year: 2004, 2007, 2008
USOC SportsMan of the
Year Award: 2004, 2008
James E. Sullivan
Award: 2003
Laureus World Sports
Sportsman of the Year Award (Nominated): 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009
Sports Illustrated
Sportsman of the Year: 2008
Biography by Ian Ripley,
PopStarsPlus.com, Sr. Staff Writer
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