Michael Phelps

Michael Phelps' performances at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics have brought him strong consideration as the greatest ever Olympian. He has surpassed the records of Mark Spitz and Johnny Weissmuller and is considered the greatest swimmer ever. Phelps swims several strokes, including butterfly and freestyle, but his best events are the individual medleys. At the 2004 Olympic Games, Michael Phelps became only the second athlete, after Aleksandr Dityatin (URS-GYM-1980) to win eight medals at a single Olympics. Phelps had attempted to win gold medals in eight swimming events, to better Mark Spitz's performance at München. Phelps did not manage that but did win six gold medals (four individual) and two bronze medals. He followed this with a dominating performance at the 2005 World Championships at which he won five gold medals and a silver medal. He had also won five World Championship gold medals at the 2003 meet.

Phelps not only did not stop competing but pushed his records even further. At the 2007 World Championships he entered eight events and won seven gold medals, losing out on the eighth in the 4×100 medley relay, when the USA was disqualified in an early round heat in which he had sat out. He seemed poised to challenge Spitz's 1972 mark of seven gold medals. At Beijing Phelps again entered eight events and this time he came thru with a victory in all eight, becoming the first Olympian to win eight gold medals at one Olympic Games. Also, thru 2008, Phelps' Olympic record includes 14 gold medals, surpassing the previous mark of 10 set by Ray Ewry, and 16 Olympic medals, the most ever by a man, and trailing only the 18 of Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina. Phelps has indicated that he will continue to compete thru the 2012 Olympics, which could enable him to shatter all marks for Olympic medals and gold medals.