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10 Big Moments In Michael Phelps' Career

Michael Phelps has been touted as the greatest Olympian of all time. He holds countless records. He's an amazing athlete. With news of his most recent DUI Arrest (his second) and let's not forget about the picture of him with the water pipe... we thought we'd stick to the sports side of things. Check out some of Phelps' top achievements.

Born June 30, 1985 to Fred and Debbie Phelps in the Baltimore suburb of Towson, Maryland and becomes an Olympian by the age of 15.

• No medals in 2000 in Sydney, Australia but he finished a respectable 5th place for the 200-meter butterfly. Little did we know that this modest start would lead to so much success in just 4 years time. (Pictured above is 15-year old Phelps competing in the 200m Butterfly.)

World Records

• It's one thing to have a world record but another to continue to break your own and hold the top 8 fastest times in any event. That's what Phelps did in the in 400-meter Individual Medley.

• Michael Phelps currently holds the most world records in swimming with seven (100m butterfly LC, 200m butterfly LC, 400m individual medley LC, 4×100m freestyle relay LC, 4×200m freestyle relay LC, 4×100m medley relay LC and 4×100m freestyle relay SC).

US swimmer Michael Phelps reacts after t
(Photo credit: TIMOTHY CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)

8 for 8 Gold in one Olympic Games in 2008.

• This topped Mark Spitz's record of 7 Golds in Munich in 1972. Phelps had 8 medals in 2004 in Athens but 2 were bronze.

(FILES) This combo of file photos shows
(Photo credit should read AFP/AFP/Getty Images)

19 Medals: Surpassing the All-Time Olympic Medal Record

• Soviet Union gymnast Larisa Latynina was the all-time Olympic medal leader until Phelps got silver on July 31, 2012.

Michael Phelps
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Setting the Bar at 22 Medals: The all-time leading overall medalist in Olympics history.

• 2 Bronze. 2 Silver. 18 Gold.

Additional Honors:

• ESPN ESPY awards for "Best Male Olympic Athlete" and "Best Record Breaking Performance." (2013)
• Men's Health Magazine's "Fittest Man of All Time" in 2012.
• AP Male Athlete Of The Year 2012


 

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