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| Birth Name(s) : Michael Phelps |
Date of Birth: N/A |
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Full Michael Phelps Biography
Michael Fred Phelps II (born June 30, 1985 in Baltimore, Maryland) is an American swimmer and World Record Holder in several events. Phelps' achievements include a record of eight medals at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, six of which were gold, tying the Olympic record for medals at single Olympics, held by Alexander Dityatin since 1980. His international titles, along with his various world records, have resulted in him being named World Swimmer of the Year four times in 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2007.
At the age of 15, Phelps first appeared at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney as the youngest American male swimmer at an Olympic Games in 68 years. While he didn't win a medal, he was fifth in the 200 m Butterfly. Phelps proceeded to make a name for himself in swimming shortly thereafter. Five months after the Sydney Olympics, Phelps broke the world record in the 200 m butterfly to become, at 15 years and 9 months, the youngest man ever to set a swimming world record. He then broke his own record again at the World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan (1:54.58). At the 2002 Summer Nationals in Fort Lauderdale, Phelps also broke the world record for the 400 m individual medley and set American marks in the 100 m butterfly and the 200 m individual medley.
In 2003, Phelps broke his own world record in the 400 m individual medley (4:09.09) and in June, he broke the world record in the 200 m individual medley (1:56.04). Then on July 7, 2004, Phelps broke his own world record again in the 400 m individual medley (4:08.41) during the U.S. trials for the 2004 Summer Olympics.
Phelps' dominance has brought comparisons to former swimming great Mark Spitz, who won seven gold medals in the 1972 Summer Olympics, a world record. Phelps tied Mark Spitz's record of 4 individual gold medals by winning four himself. Phelps had the chance to break Spitz's record of 7 total gold medals in the 2004 Athens Olympics by competing in eight swimming events (5 of which were individual events): the 200 m freestyle, the 100 m butterfly, the 200 m butterfly, the 200 m individual medley, the 400 m individual medley, the 4x100 m freestyle relay, 4x200 m freestyle relay, and the 4x100 m medley relay. However, his 4x100 m freestyle relay team only won the bronze medal, and he personally placed for bronze in the 200 m freestyle. Thus, he fell short of that record. However, he did win eight medals in one Olympics, a feat only achieved by Alexander Dityatin, a gymnast, in the 1980 Olympics in Moscow.
Had he won seven golds, he would have been eligible for a US$1 million bonus from his sponsor, Speedo.Phelps does, however, have another chance at this $1 million should he win eight golds at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
On August 14, 2004, he won his first Olympic gold, in the 400 m individual medley, setting another new world record (4:08.26). On August 16 he was beaten by the Australian winner Ian Thorpe and the Dutch Pieter van den Hoogenband in 200 m freestyle final, called the race of the century.
On August 20, in the 100 m butterfly final, Phelps defeated American teammate Ian Crocker (who holds the world record in the event) by just 0.04 seconds. Traditionally, the Olympian who places highest in an individual event will be automatically given the corresponding leg of the 4x100 m medley relay. This gave Phelps an automatic entry into the medley relay but he deferred and Crocker swam instead. The American medley team went on to win the event in world record time, and, since he had raced in a preliminary heat of the medley relay, Phelps was also awarded a gold medal along with the team members that competed in the final.
Michael has two older sisters, Whitney and Hilary. Both excelled at swimming. Whitney was a promising swimmer but phased her swimming skills into a recreational, rather than competitive, field due to a debilitating back injury.
Phelps grew up in the Rodgers Forge neighborhood of Baltimore and graduated from Towson High School in the summer of 2003.
Phelps, along with Ian Crocker and Lenny Krayzelburg, founded the "Swim with the Stars" program. This program promotes swimming and conducts camps for swimmers of all ages.
Phelps has an unusual body build that help him move through the water. His strong torso and short legs give his excellent balance and thrust in the water. It also helps that he has very slightly webbed feet. A small, but helpful genetic quality.
On November 4, 2004, Phelps was arrested for driving under the influence after being pulled over for running a stop sign at Salisbury University in Salisbury, Maryland, having a specific blood alcohol content of 0.08. Phelps pled guilty to driving while impaired, avoiding charges of driving under the influence, underage drinking, and failure to stop at a stop sign. Phelps was sentenced to 18 months of probation, fined $250, required to attend a Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) meeting, and required to give speeches to students at three area high schools by June 1, 2005.
LC: long course - 50 m pool; SC: short course - 25 m pool.1 with Aaron Peirsol, Brendan Hansen and Jason Lezak² with Ryan Lochte, Klete Keller and Peter Vanderkaay³ with Neil Walker, Cullen Jones and Jason Lezak |
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