Background and Accomplishments:
Michael Phelps headed to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games with a goal to win eight gold medals at a single Games. He did it. According to reports, this was the plan that he made at the beginning of the year but never talked about his goal with anyone other than his coach, Bob Boman.
Phelps may be the world's best swimmer. Ever.
Michael Phelps won 8 gold medals in Beijing, breaking Mark Spitz's single-Games record for gold medals. Phelps swam 17 times over nine days and broke the world record in four of his five individual swims. His three relay teams also set world marks.
Physically:
Phelps may just have the ideal body type for swimming. According to news reports, his 6-foot-7-inch wingspan is three inches longer than his height, providing him with unusually long reach. His torso is long compared to his legs, enabling him to ride high on the water. And his flexible ankles, combined with size-14 feet, allow for a powerful kick. Add to that more than a decade of high-intensity training, and you get one of the fastest swimmers in history.He's Human Afterall:
Phelps has had some obstacles to overcome since the 2004 Games, including an adjustment to living independently (he has taken classes at the University of Michigan while training with his coach, Bob Bowman, who coaches the Wolverine swim team). In Ann Arbor, he once filled up his dishwasher with hand soap and came home to find his floor covered in suds, and tried to eat cereal out of a Gatorade bottle instead of a bowl.Other Interests:
When he’s not busy training, Phelps can often be
found eating (his appetite borders on legendary) or playing poker in
his limited free time. Though he’s been a frequent spectator at
Michigan home football games, the Wolverines don't compare to his
beloved Baltimore Ravens.
