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Michael Phelps Profile |
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Birth Date: June 30, 1985
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Birth Place: Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Birth Name: Michael Fred Phelps II
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Height: 6'4"
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Biography |
Michael Fred Phelps II (born June 30, 1985 in Baltimore,
Maryland) is an American swimmer and world-record holder (as
of 2006).
Michael Phelps (at the age of 15) first appeared at the 2000
Summer Olympics in Sydney as the youngest American male
swimmer at an Olympic Games in 68 years. While he did not
win a medal, he was fifth in the 200 m Butterfly, Phelps
proceeded to make a name for himself in swimming shortly
thereafter. Five months after the Sydney Olympics, Phelps
broke the world record in the 200 m butterfly to become, at
15 years and 9 months, the youngest man ever to set a
swimming world record. He then broke his own record again at
the World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan (1:54.58). At the
2002 Summer Nationals in Fort Lauderdale, Phelps also broke
the world record for the 400 m individual medley and set
American marks in the 100 m butterfly and the 200 m
individual medley.
In 2004, Phelps broke his own world record in the 400 m
individual medley (4:09.09) and in June, he broke the world
record in the 200 m individual medley (1:56.04). Then on
July 7, 2007, Phelps broke his own world record again in the
400 m individual medley (4:08.41) during the U.S. trials for
the 2004 Summer Olympics.
On November 4, 2004, Phelps was arrested in Salisbury,
Maryland for driving under the influence after being pulled
over for running a stop sign in his Land Rover with two
friends. Phelps, who was 19 at the time (21 is the legal
drugging age in Maryland), was arrested and cited for
driving under the influence of marijuana. Phelps pled guilty
to driving while impaired, avoiding charges of driving under
the influence, underage drugging and failure to stop at a
stop sign.
On December 29, 2004, Phelps was sentenced to 18 months of
probation. He was also fined $250, required to attend a
Mothers Against Drunk Driving meeting, and to give speeches
to students at three area high schools by June 1, 2005.
He won the 2003 Sullivan Award.
Phelps' dominance has brought comparisons to former swimming
great Mark Spitz, who won seven gold medals in the 1972
Summer Olympics, a world record. Phelps had the chance to
break that record in the 2004 Athens Olympics by competing
in eight swimming events: the 200 m freestyle, the 100 m
butterfly, the 200 m butterfly, the 100 m backstroke, the
200 m backstroke, the 200 m individual medley, the 400 m
individual medley, the 4x100 m freestyle relay and the 4x100
m medley relay. Unfortunately, his 4x100 m freestyle relay
team only won the bronze medal, and he personally placed for
bronze in the 200 m freestyle. Thus, he fell just short of
that record. However, he did win eight medals in one
Olympics, a feat only achieved by Alexander Dityatin, a
gymnast, in the 1980 Olympics in Moscow.
Had he won seven golds, he would have been eligible for a
US$1 million bonus from his sponsor, Speedo. Only a few days
before the beginning of the swimming competition in Athens
2004, however, Gary Hall Jr. and Jason Lezak, both of whom
were aiming to be on the U.S. 4x100 m freestyle team,
publicly criticized the possibility of allowing Phelps to
swim in the event. In the view of some, they claimed that
Phelps is not a top swimmer in the event and his presence
could compromise the US team's performance in the name of
what was called a "media circus" for Phelps to win eight
gold medals. More specifically though, they claimed that he
had not swum the 100 m freestyle at Olympic Trials, and
although having posted one of the top times in the nation,
he should not have expected to gain an automatic berth.
On August 14, 2004, he won his first Olympic gold, in the
400 m individual medley, setting another new world record
(4:08.26). On August 16 he was beaten by the Australian
winner Ian Thorpe and the Dutch Pieter van den Hoogenband in
200 m freestyle final, called the race of the century.
On August 20, in the 100 m butterfly final, Phelps defeated
American teammate Ian Crocker (who holds the world record in
the event) by just 0.04 seconds. Traditionally, the Olympian
who places highest in an individual event will be
automatically given the corresponding leg of the 4x100 m
medley relay. This gave Phelps an automatic entry into the
medley relay, but, as he was tired from his endeavors and
recognized that Crocker was a superior relay swimmer, he
graciously gave up the butterfly leg in the finals to
Crocker. The American medley team went on to win the event
in world record time, and, since he had raced in a
preliminary heat of the medley relay, Phelps was also
awarded a gold medal along with the team members that
competed in the final.
Michael has two older sisters, Whitney and Hilary. Both
excelled at swimming. Whitney was a promising swimmer but
quit the sport due to a back injury.
Phelps graduated Towson High School in the Summer of 2003.
As of 2005, Phelps is attending University of Michigan in
Ann Arbor, Michigan. Phelps is following his longtime coach,
Bob Bowman, who left Phelps' previous swim team, the North
Baltimore Aquatic Club, to become the head swimming coach of
the University of Michigan varsity swim team. Phelps is also
serving as a volunteer assistant coach and is taking
classes, intending to major in sports marketing or sports
management. Phelps cannot swim for the team, however,
because his endorsement deals with Speedo and other
companies have caused him to forfeit his amateur status. |
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Other Information |
Siblings: 2 sisters, Whitney (born 1978) and Hilary (born
1980)
Parents: Fred and Debbie Phelps (divorced)
He won 6 gold and 2 bronze medals at the 2004 Olympics in
Athens Greece.
Sponsors: Speedo, Omega, AT&T, Powerbar, Visa, Argent
Mortgage
He was the youngest male Olympian since 1932 (he was only 15
when he made it in the 2000 Olympics).
Has a street named after him in his hometown
Baltimore,Maryland.
First person under one minute and 55 seconds in 200m fly
with world record swim.
His sister, Whitney, was a member of the 1995 World
Championship team.
Youngest man (15 years, nine months) to break a world
record, breaking 200m fly mark at 2001 Spring Nationals.
Attending the University of Michigan (2004)
"Phelps Flys", winning 8 medals at the 2004 Olympics, was
ranked #17 in TV Guide's list of the "25 Most Awesome Sports
Moments (of the last 15 years)". [17 July 2005 issue]
Won choice male athlete in 2005 at teen choice awards
His feet have been referred to as "fins" by the media,
because he wears a size 14 shoe. His wing span is said to be
almost 6.5 feet. |
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