Michael Fred Phelps II, born on June 30, 1985, is an American former competitive swimmer widely considered the greatest of all time. He holds the record for the most Olympic medals won by any athlete, with a total of 28, including 23 gold medals. Phelps competed in five Olympic Games, beginning at age 15 in Sydney 2000, making him the youngest male Olympian for the United States in nearly 70 years. He retired from swimming after the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Phelps dominated competitive swimming for over a decade, setting numerous world records and achieving unprecedented success at the Olympics. At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, he won eight gold medals, breaking Mark Spitz's previous record of seven golds in a single Olympics. Beyond his Olympic achievements, Phelps won 36 USA Swimming summer national championships and earned the title of Swimming World's World Swimmer of the Year eight times. Since retiring, Phelps has remained involved in the sport, including working as a swimming analyst for NBC during the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Since retiring from professional swimming, Phelps has become a vocal advocate for mental health awareness. He has openly discussed his own struggles with ADHD and depression, aiming to reduce stigma and encourage others to seek help. Phelps joined the board of Medibio in 2017, a company focused on diagnosing mental health disorders. He founded the Michael Phelps Foundation in 2008 to promote healthy living and increase swimming opportunities for children. In August 2025, Phelps criticized the leadership of USA Swimming, calling for reforms to better support athletes.