Claim: Michael Phelps holds three highly contested world records.

Michael Fred Phelps II -LRB- born June 30 , 1985 -RRB- is an American former competitive swimmer and the most decorated Olympian of all time , with a total of 28 medals . Phelps also holds the all-time records for Olympic gold medals -LRB- 23 -RRB- , Olympic gold medals in individual events -LRB- 13 -RRB- , and Olympic medals in individual events -LRB- 16 -RRB- . In winning eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Games , Phelps broke fellow American swimmer Mark Spitz 's 1972 record of seven first-place finishes at any single Olympic Games . At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London , Phelps won four gold and two silver medals , and at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro , he won five gold medals and one silver . This made him the most successful athlete of the Games for the fourth Olympics in a row .   Phelps is the long course world record holder in the 100 meter butterfly , 200 meter butterfly , and 400 meter individual medley as well as the former long course world record holder in the 200 meter freestyle and 200 meter individual medley . He has won 83 medals in major international long course competition , of which 66 were gold , 14 silver , and 3 bronze , spanning the Olympics , the World , and the Pan Pacific Championships . Phelps 's international titles and record-breaking performances have earned him the World Swimmer of the Year Award eight times and American Swimmer of the Year Award eleven times , as well as the FINA Swimmer of the Year Award in 2012 and 2016 . His unprecedented Olympic success in 2008 earned Phelps Sports Illustrated magazine 's Sportsman of the Year award .   After the 2008 Summer Olympics , Phelps started the Michael Phelps Foundation , which focuses on growing the sport of swimming and promoting healthier lifestyles . Phelps retired following the 2012 Olympics , but in April 2014 he made a comeback . At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro , his fifth Olympics , he won five golds and one silver . Phelps was chosen to be a captain of the 2016 US Olympic team , and was also voted by his team to be the flag bearer of the United States at the 2016 Summer Olympics Parade of Nations .