Michael Phelps' 2008 Olympics | NBC Sports Michael Phelps' 2008 Olympics / Star American swimmer Michael Phelps won a record eight gold medals during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. From left to right, top row: men's 4 x 100m medley on Aug. 17, 100m butterfly on Aug. 16, men's 200m individual medley on Aug. 15, men's 4 x 200m freestyle relay on Aug. 13. From left to right, bottom row: men's 200m butterfly on Aug. 13, men's 200m freestyle on Aug. 12, men's 4 x 100m freestyle relay on Aug. 11, men's 400m individual medley on Aug. 10. Michael Phelps of the United States gets a little support during practice at the National Aquatics Center on Aug. 3, 2008 in Beijing.

Sporting a pre-Olympics mustache, Michael Phelps looks on during a practice session ahead of the Beijing 2008 Olympics at National Aquatics Center on Aug. 6, 2008 in Beijing, China. Michael Phelps attends a press conference ahead of the Beijing 2008 Olympics on Aug. 6, 2008. Michael Phelps competes during a men's 400m individual medley swimming heat on Aug. 9, 2008. He placed first in his heat. US President George W. Bush (center) waves a US flag as he, First Lady Laura Bush (second from left) and daughter Barbara (right) watch the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games men's 200m freestyle semifinals and men's 4x100m freestyle relay, in which Michael Phelps won his second gold by setting a new world record time with his teammates. US swimmer Michael Phelps competes during the men's 200m freestyle swimming heat at the National Aquatics Center at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on Aug. 10, 2008. US President George W.

Bush (left) and former US president George H. W. Bush (second from right) pose with US swimming gold medallist Michael Phelps (right) and teammate Larsen Jensen after Bush attended the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games swimming events at the National Aquatics Center on Aug. 10, 2008 in Beijing. Garrett Weber-Gale (left) and Michael Phelps celebrate after teammate Jason Lezak completed the United States' comeback in the men's 4 x 100m freestyle relay. They just edged out the French. The American men's 4x100m freestyle relay team of (from left to right) Garrett Weber-Gale, Jason Lezak, Michael Phelps and Cullen Jones share a moment after winning gold with a world record time of 3:08.24 on Aug. 11. (From left to right) Michael Phelps, Garrett Weber-Gale, Cullen Jones and Jason Lezak pose with their gold medals on the podium during the medal ceremony for the men's 4 x 100m freestyle relay held at the National Aquatics Center on Day 3.

Michael Phelps poses with the gold medal for the men's 200m freestyle on Aug. 12, 2008, the third gold medal he won in Beijing. Phelps finished the race in first place in a time of 1:42.96, setting a new world record. This underwater photograph shows US swimmer Michael Phelps competing during the men's 200m butterfly swimming semifinal at the National Aquatics Center in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on Aug. 12, 2008. With a powerful dive off the blocks, Michael Phelps started his leg of the men's 4 x 200m freestyle relay at the National Aquatics Center on Aug. 13, 2008. He and his teammates won gold and broke the world record in the event with a time of 6:58.56. The victory gave Phelps his fifth gold medal of the Beijing Games and the 11th Olympic gold of his career.

The United States men's 4x200m freestyle relay team of Ricky Berens (top left), Ryan Lochte (top center), Michael Phelps (top right) and Peter Vanderkaay broke the event's world record with a time of 6:58.56, over five seconds better than the silver medal-winning team from Russia. Ricky Berens (left), Ryan Lochte (center) and Michael Phelps of the United States celebrate finishing first in the men's 4 x 200m freestyle relay held at the National Aquatics Center on Day 5 of the 2008 Olympic Games. (From left to right) Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte, Ricky Berens and Peter Vanderkaay of the United States pose with the gold medal on the podium during the medal ceremony for the men's 4 x 200m rreestyle relay on Aug. 13, 2008 in Beijing. Although his goggles filled up with water and he could barely see for much of the race, Michael Phelps still won the men's 200m butterfly gold on Aug.

13, 2008 in a new world record time of 1.52.49. Michael Phelps' mother, Debbie (center) and his two sisters applaud his gold medal-winning, world record-setting time of 1.52.03 in the men's 200m butterfly on Aug. 13, 2008. Men's 200m butterfly silver medalist Laszlo Cseh of Hungary (left) congratulates bronze medalist Takeshi Matsuda of Japan (right), while gold medalist Michael Phelps of the United States looks on during Day 5. By winning gold with his teammates in the men's 4x200m freestyle relay, Michael Phelps (left) earned one more medal than four celebrated former Olympic greats who had nine golds during their careers. They are Soviet gymnast Larysa Latynina (top center, at the Melbourne Olympic Games in July, 1956); American swimmer Mark Spitz (top right, during the Olympic 200m butterfly final on Aug.

31, 1972 in Munich); Finnish athlete Paavo Nurmi (bottom right, during the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris); and American athlete Carl Lewis (landing in the sand during the final of the men's Olympic long jump competition on Aug. 6, 1992 in Barcelona). Michael Phelps prepares to compete in the first semifinal of the men's 200m Individual Medley during Day 6. He finished the race in first place in a time of 1:57.70. Michael Phelps competes in the first semifinal of the men's 200m Individual Medley. US swimmer Michael Phelps waits for the start of the men's 200m individual medley final at the National Aquatics Center during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in Beijing on Aug. 15, 2008. Michael Phelps swims to win the men's 200m individual medley final at the National Aquatics Center during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in Beijing on Aug. 15, 2008.

Clinching his sixth gold medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Michael Phelps competed in the men's 200m Individual Medley on Day 7. Ryan Lochte (left) congratulates United States teammate Michael Phelps on his victory in the men's 200m Individual Medley on Aug. 15, 2008 in Beijing, China. Phelps won in a new world record time of 1.54.23. Lochte earned the bronze medal. Michael Phelps of the United States competes in the men's 100m butterfly semifinals held at the National Aquatics Centre during Day 7. Milorad Cavic (left) of Serbia and Michael Phelps of the United States reach for the wall in the men's 100m butterfly final held on Day 8 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on Aug. 16, 2008. Phelps just out-touched Cavic for the gold. Milorad Cavic (right) appeared to have a slight advantage on Michael Phelps heading into the wall in the men's 100m butterfly on Day 8, but Phelps miraculously pulled out the win.

Michael Phelps was elated to see he had won the men's 100m butterfly with a new Olympic record of 50.58. Michael Phelps (center), silver medalist Milorad Cavic of Serbia (left) and bronze medalist Andrew Lauterstein of Australia stand on the podium for the men's 100m butterfly medal ceremony on Aug. 16, 2008. Phelps' gold gave him a seventh gold medal in Beijing and equalled Mark Spitz's 1972 record. Gold medalist Michael Phelps celebrates during the medal ceremony for the men's 100m butterfly. Michael Phelps dives in for his leg of the men's 4 x 100m medley relay final at the National Aquatics Center during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games on Aug. 17, 2008. He and his teammates won the event, as Phelps earned his record eighth gold medal. US swimmer Michael Phelps competes in the men's 4x100m medley relay on Aug. 17, 2008.

US swimmer Michael Phelps (lower) and Jason Lezak compete during the men's 4x100m medley relay final at the National Aquatics Center during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Thousands of fans at M & T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Md. cheer for Olympian Michael Phelps, who hails from Baltimore, as he wins his eighth gold medal. The fans remained in the stadium after the game between the Minnesota Vikings and Baltimore Ravens. Photographers mob Michael Phelps as he climbs up into the stands to hug his family, sisters Whitney and Hilary and mother Debbie, on Aug. 17, 2008 in Beijing, China. (From left to right) Michael Phelps, Brendan Hansen, Jason Lezak and Aaron Piersol stand on the podium after receiving their gold medals for their men's 4x100m medley relay win. The United States team won with a new world record time of 3:29:34. After earning gold in the men's 4 x 100m freestyle relay, US swimmers Michael Phelps (left) and Brendan Hansen stand on the podium looking at a certificate Phelps received from FINA recognizing his accomplishments.

An emotional Michael Phelps is seen on the jumbotron after he received his record eighth gold medal in the men's 4x100m medley relay during Day 9 of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Michael Phelps' sisters Whitney (left) and Hilary (right) stand with mother Debbie during the American national anthem after Michael received his eighth gold medal with a win in the men's 4x100 medley relay on Aug. 17, 2008. (From left to right) Brendan Hansen, Michael Phelps, Aaron Piersol and Jason Lezak parade around the pool with American flags after setting a new world record and winning gold in the men's 4x100m medley relay. Michael Phelps smiles with the American flag as he wears his eighth gold medal. He earned the record gold with a team win in the men's 4x100m medley relay on Aug. 17, 2008. Record gold medalist Michael Phelps and his coach Bob Bowman answer questions during a press conference on Day 9 of the 2008 Olympic Games.

(From left to right) Anne Curry, Al Roker, Meredith Viera, Michael Phelps, Matt Lauer, Bob Bowman and Hoda Kotb pose together on the NBC Today Show set at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on Aug. 18, 2008. One of the first things Michael Phelps did after winning his record eighth gold medal was go to a McDonalds in the Olympic Green. Michael Phelps was the face of the 2008 Beijing Games. Michael Phelps won his eight gold medals in the National Aquatics Center, also known as the 'Water Cube.' Michael Phelps attends a photocall for the Speedo Athlete Media Day with compatriots Katie Hoff (left) and Natalie Natalie Coughlin on Aug. 19, 2008. Michael Phelps (second from right) poses with fellow swimmers Eamon Sullivan (left), Ryan Lochte (second from left) and Grant Hackett on Aug. 19, 2008. American swim legend Mark Spitz poses with the new Sports Illustrated Magazine featuring Olympic champion swimmer Michael Phelps on the cover. The cover idea was taken from a shoot Mark Spitz did with seven gold medals around his neck.

Michael Phelps, a 14-time Olympic gold medalist, has already made millions of dollars in sponsorships. Michael Phelps swims with children at the Visa Grant for Early Swimming Program discussion at McBurney YMCA on Aug. 28, 2008 in New York City. While Michael Phelps was on the Today Show on Sept. 2, 2008, Warnaco CEO Joe Gromek presented him with a $1 million bonus check from Speedo for his eight gold medals during the 2008 Summer Olympics. Michael Phelps (left) was golden in the pool, but even he couldn't work his magic on Wall Street. Along with American teammates Natalie Coughlin and Ryan Lochte and Warnaco Group, Inc. CEO Joe Granek (right), Phelps rang the opening bell representing NYSE-listed Warnaco Group, Inc., a group which included leading swimsuit maker Speedo, on Sept. 9, 2008. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell from 11,514.73 to 11,230.73 that day. Olympic swimming gold medalist Michael Phelps shakes hands with President George W.

Bush after Bush made remarks to the 2008 US Summer Olympic and Paralympic teams on the South Lawn of the White House on Oct. 7, 2008. (From left to right) Michael Phelps, Garrett Weber-Gale, Jason Lezak and Cullen Jones accepted the Golden Goggles Award for Relay Performance of the Year at the fifth annual USA Swimming Foundation Golden Goggles Awards on Nov. 17, 2008 in New York City. Phelps also won awards for Male Athlete of the Year and Male Race of the Year. In recognition of his record eight gold medals in Beijing, Michael Phelps received Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year honors on Dec. 2, 2008 in New York City. Michael Phelps is the most decorated gold medalist in Olympic history with 14 golds and is tied for the the overall Olympic medal record with 16 (he won two bronze medals in Athens).

Michael Phelps | American swimmer | Britannica.com American swimmer Alternative Title: Michael Fred Phelps II Michael Phelps Missy Franklin Michael Phelps, in full Michael Fred Phelps II (born June 30, 1985, Baltimore , Maryland , U.S.), American swimmer, who was the most-decorated athlete in Olympic history with 28 medals, which included a record 23 gold. At the 2008 Games in Beijing , he became the first athlete to win eight gold medals at a single Olympics. Michael Phelps, 2004. TM and © PowerBar, all rights reserved/PRNewsFoto/AP Images Phelps was raised in a family of swimmers and joined the prestigious North Baltimore Aquatic Club at age seven. He finished fifth in the 200-metre butterfly at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney . At the 2001 U.S. spring nationals, he became at age 15 the youngest world-record holder in men’s swimming when he posted 1 min 54.92 sec in the 200-metre butterfly. He went on that year to win his first international title at the world championships in Fukuoka , Japan .

He claimed five medals at the 2002 Pan Pacific championships, including three gold (200-metre and 400-metre individual medley [IM] and 4 × 100-metre medley relay). At the U.S. spring nationals in 2003, he became the first male swimmer to claim titles in three different strokes at a single national championship, and he later broke an unprecedented five individual world records at the world championships in Barcelona , Spain . Phelps also captured five titles at the U.S. summer nationals—the most won by a male swimmer at a single championship. At the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens , Phelps captured six gold medals (200-metre and 400-metre IM, 100-metre and 200-metre butterfly, 4 × 200-metre freestyle relay , and 4 × 100-metre medley relay) and two bronze medals (200-metre freestyle and 4 × 100-metre freestyle relay) while setting five Olympic or world records.

His four individual swimming gold medals tied a record set by American Mark Spitz at the 1972 Munich Olympics . Phelps continued to dominate the sport at the 2007 world championships in Melbourne , where he won seven gold medals (200-metre and 400-metre IM, 100-metre and 200-metre butterfly, 200-metre freestyle, and 4 × 100-metre and 4 × 200-metre freestyle relay) and set five world records. With his seven titles, Phelps tied Spitz for most wins at a major international meet. Michael Phelps competing at the 2007 world championships in Melbourne. Quinn Rooney/Getty Images Michael Phelps in an advertisement for Speedo, 2007. TM and © Speedo, all rights reserved/PRNewsFoto/AP Images Phelps entered the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing with the goal of breaking Spitz’s record of seven gold medals at one Olympics.

He took the gold in each of his first three events—the 400-metre IM, the 4 × 100-metre freestyle relay, and the 200-metre freestyle—and each victory took place in world record time. On August 13 he won golds in the 200-metre butterfly and the 4 × 200-metre freestyle relay to capture his 10th and 11th career gold medals, a new Olympic record. Phelps then won his sixth gold of the Beijing Games by breaking his own world record in the 200-metre IM. He tied Spitz’s record by winning the 100-metre butterfly final by 0.01 second and broke the mark as a member of the victorious American 4 × 100-metre medley relay team. All told, Phelps set world records in all but one (the 100-metre butterfly) of his eight gold medal-winning events.

He followed his record-setting Olympics with five golds (100-metre and 200-metre butterfly, 4 × 100-metre and 4 × 200-metre freestyle relay, and 4 × 100-metre medley relay) and a silver (200-metre freestyle) at the 2009 world championships in Rome . Britannica Stories Scientists Ponder Menopause in Killer Whales At the 2012 Olympics in London , Phelps had a disappointing start, failing to medal in his first event, the 400-metre IM. However, he subsequently won silver medals in both the 4 × 100-metre freestyle relay and the 200-metre butterfly and a gold medal in the 4 × 200-metre freestyle relay. With the latter win, Phelps captured an unprecedented 19th career Olympic medal, surpassing the record set by Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina .

He also claimed gold in the 200-metre IM, becoming the first male swimmer to win the same individual event at three consecutive Olympics; he later won the 100-metre butterfly for the third consecutive time. Phelps, who had announced that he was retiring from the sport after the London Games, captured a gold medal in his final event, the 4 × 100-medley relay. Michael Phelps Wins First Gold in Beijing play The american swimming sensation Michael Phelps, starts his Olympic journey to win 8 gold medals by claiming his first title in the 400m IM. Phelps keeps a comfortable margin over the rest of the competitors most of the race, finishes in 4:03.84 over 2 seconds quickier than Cseh, shaving more than a full second off his own world record.

Swimming Men's 400m Individual Medley Final - World record (4:03.84) - Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics - Michael Phelps (USA), Lazslo Cseh (HUN), Ryan Lochte (USA) 400m individual medley, Beijing 2008, Hungary, LOCHTE, Ryan, PHELPS, Michael, Swimming, United States of America, Men, PHELPS, Michael, Top 10 Swimmers of All Time | entertainmentaroundtheworld Top 10 Swimmers of All Time Top Antoni Gaudi Works Top 10 Swimmers of All Time Note: This is a list from 2012 and is focused more on freestyle swimmers and multiple Olympic champions. I do not plan to update it. 1. Mark Spitz, born 1950 Mark Andrew Spitz (nicknamed Mark The Shark) is a retired American swimmer. He won seven gold medals at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, an achievement surpassed only by Michael Phelps who won eight golds at the 2008 Olympics.

Between 1968 and 1972, Spitz won nine Olympic golds plus a silver and a bronze, five Pan American golds, 31 US Amateur Athletic Union titles and eight US National Collegiate Athletic Association titles. During those years, he set 33 world records. He was named World Swimmer of the Year in 1969, 1971 and 1972. 2. Michael Phelps, born 1985 Michael Fred Phelps II (born June 30, 1985) is an American competition swimmer and the most decorated Olympian of all time, with a total of 22 medals. Phelps also holds the all-time records for Olympic gold medals (18, double the second highest record holders), Olympic gold medals in individual events (11), and Olympic medals in individual events for a male (13). In winning eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Games, Phelps took the record for the most first-place finishes at any single Olympic Games. Five of those victories were in individual events, tying the single Games record.

In the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Phelps won four golds and two silver medals, making him the most successful athlete of the Games for the third Olympics in a row. Phelps is the long course world recordholder in the 100-meter butterfly, 200-meter butterfly and 400-meter individual medley as well as the former long course world recordholder in the 200-meter freestyle and 200-meter individual medley. He has won a total of 77 medals in major international long-course competition, totalling 61 gold, 13 silver, and 3 bronze spanning the Olympics, the World, and the Pan Pacific Championships. 3. Ian Thorpe, born 1982 Ian James Thorpe (nicknamed the Thorpedo and Thorpey) is a retired Australian freestyle swimmer. He has won five Olympic gold medals, the most won by any Australian, and, at the 2001 World Aquatics Championships, he became the first person to win six gold medals in one World Championship. In total, Thorpe has won eleven World Championship golds, the second-highest number of any swimmer.

Thorpe was the first person to have been named Swimming World Swimmers of the Year four times, and was the Australian swimmer of the year from 1999 to 2003. His athletic achievements made him one of Australia’s most popular athletes, and he was recognised as the Young Australian of the Year in 2000. 4. Aleksandr Popov, born 1971 Aleksandr Vladimirovich Popov is a Russian former Olympic gold-winning swimmer, widely regarded as one of the greatest sprint freestyle swimmers of all time. 5. Pieter van den Hoogenband, born 1978 Pieter Cornelis Ruud Martijn van den Hoogenband (nicknamed The Flying Dutchman and Hoogie) is a Dutch former swimmer and a triple Olympic champion. 6. Johnny Weissmuller, born 1904 – died 1984 Johann Peter Weißmüller was an Austro-Hungarian-born American swimmer and actor. Weissmuller was one of the world’s best swimmers in the 1920s, winning five Olympic gold medals and one bronze medal.

He won fifty-two US National Championships and set sixty-seven world records. After his swimming career, he became the sixth actor to portray Tarzan in films, a role he played in twelve motion pictures. Dozens of other actors have also played Tarzan, but Weissmuller is by far the best known. His character’s distinctive, ululating Tarzan yell is still often used in films. 7. Grant Hackett, born 1980 Grant Hackett is an Australian former swimmer most famous for winning the men’s 1500 metres freestyle race at both the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney and the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. This achievement has led him to be regarded as one of the greatest distance swimmers in history. He also collected a gold medal in Sydney for swimming in the heats of the 4×200 m freestyle relay. He is well regarded for his versatility, being the world record holder in the 1500 m and formerly in the 800 m freestyle, and 2nd and 4th in the 400 m and 200 m freestyle respectively.

He has dominated the 1500 m event in the past decade, being undefeated in the event in finals from 1996 until the 2007 World Aquatics Championships. His four World Championship gold medals in the event make him the only swimmer to have won a world title in one event four times, and in total, he has won 10 World Championship gold medals. 8. Krisztina Egerszegi, born 1974 Krisztina Egerszegi is a Hungarian former world record holding swimmer and one of the greatest Hungarian Olympic champions of the modern era. She is a three time Olympian (1988, 1992 and 1996) and five time Olympic champion; and one of two individuals to have ever won the same swimming event at 3 consecutive Summer Olympics. 9. Debbie Meyer, born 1952 Deborah Elizabeth Meyer is a former American swimmer who won the 200, 400, and 800 m swimming events at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City.

While still a 16-year old student at Rio Americano High School in Sacramento, California, she became the first swimmer to win three individual gold medals in one Olympics. 10. Kristin Otto, born 1966 Kristin Otto is a German Olympic swimming champion. She is most famous for being the first woman to win six gold medals at the 1988 Seoul Olympic games. Bonus: Matt Biondi, born 1965 Matthew Nicholas Biondi competed in the Summer Olympic Games in 1984, 1988 and 1992, winning a total of eleven medals (eight gold, two silver and one bronze). During his career, he set seven individual world records (three in the 50-meter freestyle and four in the 100-meter freestyle). At the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Biondi won five gold medals, setting world records in the 50-meter freestyle and three relay events. Bonus: Ian Murray Rose, born 1939 – died 2012 Iain Murray Rose was an Australian swimmer, actor, sports commentator and marketing executive.

He was a six-time Olympic medalist (four gold, one silver, one bronze), and at one time held the world records in the 400-metre, 800-metre, and 1500-metre freestyle (long course). He made his Olympic debut at the 1956 Summer Olympics as a 17-year-old and won three Olympic medals, all gold. Four years later, as a 21-year-old, he won three Olympic medals (one gold, one silver, one bronze) at the 1960 Summer Olympics. Source: Wikipedia Note: Thank you for your suggestions, they are welcome and will be included in the “Special mentions” category below.

Special mentions: Michael Phelps Wins 8 gold medals at Olympics 2008 | Fun Facts and Information Fun Facts and Information Michael Phelps Wins 8 gold medals at Olympics 2008 Michael Phelps Facts Born – June 30 1985, American Swimmer born in Baltimore, Maryland Won sixteen Olympic medals (14 gold, 2 bronze): – Eight at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens (6 gold, 2 bronze) – Eight at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games (all gold) Phelps’ holds international titles like – 4 times, World Swimmer of the Year Award – 6 times, American Swimmer of the Year Award Phelps Participation Status in Olympics 2008: American Michael Phelps became the first ever athlete to win eight gold medals at one Olympic Games.

400 m individual medley: Gold Medal, World Record 4 x 100 m freestyle relay: Gold Medal, World Record 200 m freestyle: Gold Medal, World Record 200 m butterfly: Gold Medal, World Record 4 x 200 m freestyle relay: Gold Medal, World Record 200 m individual medley Gold Medal 100 m butterfly Gold Medal 4 x 100 m medley relay Gold Medal Michael Phelps Gets Last Chance at Olympics Michael Phelps Gets Last Chance at Olympics July 02, 2016 Michael Phelps gestures after winning the men's 200-meter butterfly at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials, Wednesday, June 29, 2016, in Omaha, Neb. Phelps qualified for his fifth Summer Games. Share Copy and paste the embed code below. The code has been copied to your clipboard. 64 kbps | MP3 Pop-out player Michael Phelps has become the first American male swimmer to qualify for five Olympics. He won the 200-meter butterfly race at the U.S. Olympic trials on Wednesday.

Phelps has won 18 gold medals, more than anybody in Olympic history. He won eight gold medals in a single Olympics in 2008 in Beijing, China. Phelps But his golden image was tarnished after the 2012 London Olympics. He was arrested two times for drunk driving. He stepped away from swimming. He entered a rehabilitation program. He then returned to the pool to train for the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. The Games' opening ceremony is August 5. Phelps first appeared in the Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, in 2000. He was 15 years old. Now 31, Phelps still holds three world records. He says he is happy to represent his country at the Olympic Games one more time. "Being able to make my fifth [Olympics] is something that means a lot to me,” Phelps said. “…I think 20 years from now, I’ll be able to look and be happy with that decision to come back.” Another goal for Phelps is setting one more personal best time during the next month. “It’s been a long time since I’ve got a best time,” he said. “I’d like to have maybe one before I retire.

I hope we can get at least one in the next four weeks.” When the Rio Olympic Games begin in August, Phelps will be joined on the U.S. swim team by Allison Schmitt. Schmitt is another athlete who won gold medals in London in 2012. But she has struggled in her personal life since winning gold. For Schmitt, it was depression that included suicidal thoughts. It was not until her cousin committed suicide that she looked for help. She qualified for Rio on Wednesday after placing fourth in the 200-meter freestyle race. She won that event at the London Games in 2012. “I’m going to Rio,” Schmitt said. “It’s been a tough four years, but I’m so happy right now.” The star swimmer of the 2016 summer games may be 19-year-old Katie Ledecky. In 2012, she was a young swimmer from the suburbs of Washington, D.C. Ledecky won a surprise gold medal in the 800 meter freestyle in London. In less than four years, she broke three world records.

Katie Ledecky smiles after winning the women's 200-meter freestyle final at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials in Omaha, Neb., Wednesday, June 29, 2016. At last year’s world championships, Ledecky won five gold medals. She says she will not try to break German swimmer Kristin Otto’s record of six gold medals at a single Olympics. “I don't think about who I’m chasing or any of the historical implications,” Ledecky said. The U.S. team will also feature Missy Franklin. She is a four-time gold medalist at the 2012 Olympics. She will race in the 200-meter freestyle event in Rio. I’m Dan Friedell. Chris Hannas wrote this story for VOA News. Jim Dresbach adapted it for Learning English. Adam Brock was the editor. How do you think your country’s swimmers will do at the Rio Summer Olympic Games? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or visit our Facebook page . ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story butterfly – n.

a way of swimming in which the swimmer's face is in the water and the arms move together in a circular motion while the legs kick up and down medal – n. a piece of metal often in the form of a coin with designs and words in honor of a special event or an achievement tarnish – v. to damage or ruin the good quality of a person's reputation drunk driving – n. the act of driving a vehicle while drunk rehabilitation – n. the process of bringing someone back to a normal, healthy condition after an illness, injury or drug problem freestyle – n. a swimming race in which the competitors are allowed to use different styles or methods Michael Phelps wins record eight gold medals at 2008 Summer Olympics | SI.com 6Summer OlympicsEight The Hard Way Date / Aug 16, 2008 Location / Beijing National Aquatics Center | Beijing, China Moment / With a record eighth gold medal on the line, Michael Phelps and his teammates set the world record in the men's 4x100-meter medley relay, making Phelps the most decorated swimmer of all time.

Impact / Phelps won eight gold medals at the 2008 Olympic Games, passing Mark Spitz for the most golds by an athlete at a single Games Top 10 Swimmers of All Time - Waterworks Aquatics FAQ Top 10 Swimmers of All Time Every other week Waterworks Aquatics hosts a swim competition. Your children have the opportunity to compete against their classmates, striving to collect championship ribbons and beat their last time. From I.M. to freestyle and breaststroke children learn fundamentals in a fun competitive environment in our heated 25 yard pools. Hundreds of athletes practice day after day Â in order to one day compete in the Olympic games held every four years. There are several different idols and legends to look up to, so we decided to compile the top ten swimmers of all time. 1. Mark Spitz, born 1950 Mark Andrew Spitz (nicknamed Mark The Shark) has won seven gold medals at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, an achievement surpassed only by Michael Phelps who won eight golds at the 2008 Olympics.

Between 1968 and 1972, Spitz won nine Olympic golds plus a silver and a bronze, five Pan American golds, 31 US Amateur Athletic Union titles and eight US National Collegiate Athletic Association titles. During those years, he set 33 world records. He was named World Swimmer of the Year in 1969, 1971 and 1972. Mark Spitz 2. Michael Phelps, born 1985 Michael Fred Phelps (nicknamed The Baltimore Bullet) has won 16 Olympic medalsâ€”six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008. In doing so he has twice equaled the record eight medals of any type at a single Olympics achieved by Soviet gymnast Alexander Dityatin at the 1980 Moscow Summer Games. His five golds in individual events tied the single Games record set by Eric Heiden in the 1980 Winter Olympics and equaled by Vitaly Scherbo at the 1992 Summer Games.

Phelps holds the record for the most gold medals won in a single Olympics, his eight at the 2008 Beijing Games surpassed American swimmer Mark Spitzâ€™s seven-gold performance at Munich in 1972. Phelps Olympic medal total is second only to the 18 Soviet gymnast Larissa Latynina won over three Olympics, including nine gold. Phelpsâ€™s international titles and record breaking performances have earned him the World Swimmer of the Year Award six times and American Swimmer of the Year Award eight times. He has won a total of fifty-nine medals in major international competition, fifty gold, seven silver, and two bronze spanning the Olympics, the World, and the Pan Pacific Championships. Michael Phelps Â 3. Ian Thorpe, born 1982 Ian James Thorpe (nicknamed the Thorpedo and Thorpey) is a retired Australian freestyle swimmer. He has won five Olympic gold medals, the most won by any Australian, and, at the 2001 World Aquatics Championships, he became the first person to win six gold medals in one World Championship.

In total, Thorpe has won eleven World Championship golds, the second-highest number of any swimmer. Thorpe was the first person to have been named Swimming World Swimmers of the Year four times, and was the Australian swimmer of the year from 1999 to 2003. His athletic achievements made him one of Australiaâ€™s most popular athletes, and he was recognised as the Young Australian of the Year in 2000. Ian Thorpe 4. Aleksandr Popov, born 1971 Aleksandr Vladimirovich Popov is a Russian former Olympic gold-winning swimmer, widely regarded as one of the greatest sprint freestyle swimmers of all time. He holds four gold medals and five silver medals at the Olympic Games, six gold, four silver, and one bronze medal at the World Championship, and an impressive 21 gold, three silver, and two bronze medals at the European Championships. Aleksandr Popov 5.

Pieter van den Hoogenband, born 1978 Pieter Cornelis Ruud Martijn van den Hoogenband (nicknamed The Flying Dutchman and Hoogie) is a Dutch former swimmer and a triple Olympic champion. He began competeing in the olympic games at the age of 18, and throughout his career achieved three gold, 10 silver, and four bronze olympic medals. Pieter van den Hoogenband 6. Johnny Weissmuller, born 1904 â€“ died 1984 Johann Peter WeiÃŸmÃ¼ller was an Austro-Hungarian-born American swimmer and actor. Weissmuller was one of the worldâ€™s best swimmers in the 1920s, winning five Olympic gold medals and one bronze medal. He won fifty-two US National Championships and set sixty-seven world records. After his swimming career, he became the sixth actor to portray Tarzan in films, a role he played in twelve motion pictures. Dozens of other actors have also played Tarzan, but Weissmuller is by far the best known.

His characterâ€™s distinctive, ululating Tarzan yell is still often used in films. Johnny Weissmuller 7. Grant Hackett, born 1980 Grant Hackett is an Australian former swimmer most famous for winning the menâ€™s 1500 metres freestyle race at both the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney and the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. This achievement has led him to be regarded as one of the greatest distance swimmers in history. He also collected a gold medal in Sydney for swimming in the heats of the 4Ã—200 m freestyle relay. He is well regarded for his versatility, being the world record holder in the 1500 m and formerly in the 800 m freestyle, and 2nd and 4th in the 400 m and 200 m freestyle respectively. He has dominated the 1500 m event in the past decade, being undefeated in the event in finals from 1996 until the 2007 World Aquatics Championships.

His four World Championship gold medals in the event make him the only swimmer to have won a world title in one event four times, and in total, he has won 10 World Championship gold medals. Grant Hackett 8. Krisztina Egerszegi, born 1974 Krisztina Egerszegi is a Hungarian former world record holding swimmer and one of the greatest Hungarian Olympic champions of the modern era. She is a three time Olympian (1988, 1992 and 1996) and five time Olympic champion; and one of two individuals to have ever won the same swimming event at 3 consecutive Summer Olympics. Krisztina Egerszegi 9. Debbie Meyer, born 1952 Deborah Elizabeth Meyer is a former American swimmer who won the 200, 400, and 800 m swimming events at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. While still a 16-year old student at Rio Americano High School in Sacramento, California, she became the first swimmer to win three individual gold medals in one Olympics.

Meyer is still the only woman Olympian to win three individual freestyle swimming gold medals in one Olympics, namely the 200-, 400- and 800-meter freestyle events. No swimmer has ever done this in any other combination of distances. Debbie Meyer 10. Kristin Otto, born 1966 Kristin Otto is a German Olympic swimming champion. She is most famous for being the first woman to win six gold medals at the 1988 Seoul Olympic games.Â Otto was also the first woman to swim the short courseÂ 100 meter backstroke in under a minute, Â doing so at an international short course meet at Indiana UniversityÂ in 1983. Kristin Otto Black American swimmer wins Olympic gold, historic first – People's World Black American swimmer wins Olympic gold, historic first August 16, 2008 3:09 AM CST By Diane Mohney Cullen Jones, only the second African-American to make the U.S. Olympic Swim Team, is the second African American to win an Olympic Gold Medal for his performance in the team’s 4 x 100 freestyle relay.

Amid all the well-earned acclaim for Michael Phelps’ accomplishments racking up gold medals for swimming, Jones’ historic achievement should be noted. Jones, Phelps, Jason Lezak and Garrett Weber-Gale came in a hair’s breadth ahead of the favored French team to win. Cullen’s leg, the third of the relay, was a crucial element. The team came in first just ahead of the French, who were favored to win. The relay team’s gold also helped Phelps in his quest to set a record of eight Gold Medals. Born in New York City, Jones moved to Irvington, N.J., at the age of five. Jones took swimming lessons after a near-drowning incident. His talent went unnoticed until he swam the free-style for North Carolina State University. Prior to the 2008 Olympics, Jones was the first African American ever to hold or share a swimming world record in the 4 x 100 freestyle relay. The absence of African-Americans and other people of color from certain Olympic sports has long been noted. Sports like swimming, skiing, ice skating, etc., that require expensive equipment and/or training facilities result in economic exclusion.

Also, the United States has a racist history of out-right exclusion of African Americans and other people of color from beaches and swimming pools. Jones has helped to break a long-standing stereotype that African-Americans are physically unsuited for swimming. This is important for a number of reasons, one of which is the encouragement and interest in the sport that will result in others, especially African Americans, learning to swim. It is also a safety issue. About 1,500 children drown each year in the United States. According to the CDC, African American males over the age of five are 1.3 times more likely to drown than are white males in the same age group. American Indians and Alaskan Natives are 1.8 times more likely to drown. This higher rate of drowning is due to the lack of facilities for safe swimming and swimming instruction. Where there are facilities, they are often overcrowded making it difficult for lifeguards to observe all swimmers safely. On a hot summer day, unsafe bodies of water — unsupervised beaches, reservoirs, and rivers and streams with strong currents are tempting and deadly, especially for non-swimmers. It is recommended that all children over the age of five be taught to swim.

An adult with no distractions whatsoever (no reading, watching TV, talking with others) should always supervise non-swimmers around all bodies of water whether it is the bath tub, a kiddie pool, a backyard pool, or the beach. Municipalities were once proud of their schools and recreation facilities, constantly making improvements and expanding programs. In the past 50 years or so, cities have drastically cut back on their recreation budgets. Urban and many small-town and rural school districts have slashed all programs, including physical education and swim programs have been eliminated. If there are pools in these schools or recreational facilities, maintenance is abysmal with nasty, funky locker rooms; pools are frequently closed because there are no chemicals to clean the water or the pumps are broken. There aren’t enough programs to train the number of lifeguards and swim instructors needed. YM and YWCAs fill the gap to some extent, but membership can be impossible for many family budgets. Let’s hope that Cullen Jones’ win makes more of a splash, both for his spectacular accomplishment, for being a first, and for the attention it might bring to water safety.

Hopefully there will be an increased demand for up-to-date sports and recreation facilities, including swimming pools with quality instruction programs in all communities and schools. What a great way to divert money from the war in Iraq to socially useful and necessary pastimes. This article was updated Aug. 7, 2014, to reflect the correct order of the U.S. relay team: Michael Phelps, Garrett Weber-Gale, Cullen Jones and Jason Lezak.To watch this record-breaking swim click here . A second correction was added April 18, 2016. U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist Anthony Ervin, who won his medal during the 2000 Sydney Games, is considered to be the first U.S. gold medalist of African American descent.

On the swim blog, SwimSwam , Cullen Jones’ bio reads:“At the Games in Beijing, Jones made history again; by winning a gold medal as part of the 400 free relay team he became only the second swimmer of African-American descent to do so (the first was Anthony Ervin ).” Ervin, whose mother is Jewish American of European descent and father is African and Native American, was asked by a reporter after the race what it felt like to be the first swimmer of African American descent to win gold. Referring to this moment in a 2012 interview , Ervin stated, “I didn’t know a thing about what it was like to be part of the black experience. But now I do. It’s like winning gold and having a bunch of old white people ask you what it’s like to be black. That is my black experience.” — Teresa Albano

Question: What American swimmer won eight gold medals at the 2008 Olympics?
Answer: Michael Phelps