Hard Metal Profile: Michael Phelps “The Golden Boy”

Michael Phelps | Photo Credit: Unknown

Michael Phelps is an American swimmer and the most decorated Olympian of all time. Encouraged by his two older sisters, Phelps began swimming at the age of seven and started his formal training for a competitive career with his coach, Bob Bowman at the age of 10. In 2014, Phelps returned to international competition coming out of a two year retirement after the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Most Decorated Olympian

Phelps has won his weight in gold. The four time Olympian has 22 Olympic medals, 18 of which are gold, earning him the name "Golden Boy". In 2004, at the Athens Olympic Games, Phelps won eight medals, six gold medals and two bronze medals. In 2008, at the Beijing Olympic Games, Phelps accomplished a superhuman feat, winning eight gold medals and setting a seemingly unbreakable record with that many first-place finishes in a single Olympic Games.  In 2012, at the London Olympics Games, Phelps won an additional six medals, four gold medals and two silver medals, making him the most decorated athlete in the history of the Summer Olympic Games for the third time in a row and the most decorated Olympian of all time.

Record Breaker

Phelps held his first national record at the age of 10. Five years later, Phelps qualified for the 2000 Sydney Olympics at the age of 15, becoming the youngest man to make a U.S. Olympic swim team in 68 years. Even though he did not win a medal in his first Olympic Games, he did make the finals and finished fifth in the 200m butterfly, which was to become one of his strongest strokes and help him make history. The following year, still 15, Phelps broke the world record in the world trials for the 200m butterfly, becoming the youngest man ever to set a swimming world record. In the race at the 2001 World Aquatic Championships, Phelps broke his own world record in the 200m butterfly and became a world champion for the first time.

Epic. 

It goes to show you that not only is this guy the greatest swimmer of all time

and the greatest Olympian of all time,

he's maybe the greatest athlete of all time. 

He's the greatest racer who ever walked the planet.

~ Mark Spitz

With 39 world records, Phelps has set more records than any other swimmer, surpassing Olympic swimmer, Mark Spitz's 33 world records. Phelps is the long course world record holder in the 100m butterfly, 200m butterfly and 400m individual medley, as well as, the former long course world record holder in the 200m freestyle and 200m individual medley. He has won a total of 71 medals in major international long-course competitions, for a total of 57 gold, 11 silver, and 3 bronze in the Olympics, the World and the Pan Pacific Championships. Phelps's international titles and record-breaking performances have earned him the World Swimmer of the Year Award seven times and the American Swimmer of the Year Award nine times. In 2008, Phelps earned the Sportsman of the Year award and appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine. In 2012, Phelps won the FINA Swimmer of the Year Award.

Hard Metal Life Center: Helpful People & Travel

Hard Metal people are benefactors and mentors, helpful and encouraging. They’re excellent role models and trail blazingleaders people can look to for an example of a strong work ethic, drive and determination. They reach for their full potential and help other people to reach theirs. They provide resources and opportunities. They spend time training people to excel in their field and motivating them to meet their personal goals. They recognize their own greatness and help others to set and raise and exceed their own expectations and fulfill their dreams. They give back and pay it forward. They take credit for their accomplishments and they give credit to the people who help them be their best.

Michael Phelps Foundation

After the 2008 Summer Olympics, Phelps started the Michael Phelps Foundation with his $1 million Speedo bonus. The Michael Phelps Foundation Golf Classic is the foundation's annual fundraiser. The charitable foundation's main focus is on promoting the sport of swimming and encouraging children to lead healthy lifestyles. Phelps tells kids to visualize and write down their goals so they can see them everyday. In a video, Phelps talks about the physical benefits of swimming for everyone.

The Phelps Effect

When he was just 15, Phelps talked to his agent, Peter Carlisle about his goals. Instead of winning gold medals and breaking world records or becoming the greatest swimmer of all time, Phelps said he wanted to impact the sport of swimming. He wanted to motivate, inspire and push people to chase their dreams.

Phelps idolized Australian swimmer, Ian Thorpe a freestyle specialist who was the most successful athlete at the 2000 Sydney Olympic games. The next year at the 2001 World Aquatics Championships, Phelps broke the world record in Thorpe's event, the 400m freestyle beating his idol. A few years later, a young South African swimmer by the name of Chad de Clos watched Phelps win six gold medals in the 2004 Athens Olympics on television. Inspired, the 12 year old decided to become the best swimmer his body would allow him to be and set a goal to compete in the Olympics one day. Eight years later, at the 2012 London Olympic Games, Le Clos won the gold medal in his hero's event, the 200m butterfly. He beat the 2004 and 2008 Olympic champion and world record holder, Michael Phelps, by 0.05 seconds. Then, in the last Olympic individual event of Phelps' career, Le Clos tied for the silver medal in the 100m butterfly behind Phelps and got to stand on the winner's podium with the man he had worshipped for over twelve years. After the race, Le Clos said. "He wished me luck for the future and said he really wanted to watch me do great things".

Hard Metal Completion Number: 6

As a completive swimmer, Phelps has traveled to the great cities of the world, the beautiful places on the globe and to six of the seven continents on the planet.

Hard Metal Human Expression: Mental

Hard Metal people are one of two mental energy elements. They have an unsurpassed mental toughness and strength of mind that gives them a competitive edge. They embody limitlessness. They know nothing is impossible. That you are limited only be your own beliefs and thoughts. That if you can imagine it and dream it, you can do it.

Anything you want to achieve, if you put your mind to it,

you're going to achieve it.

~ Michael Phelps

Hard Metal Presence: Angel on Earth & King of the World

Hard Metal people are the angels among us. They wear halos. They have wings and can fly. They take you under their wing and shelter you from the elements. They are the wind beneath your wings, helping you to soar to heights you never thought possible.

Michael Phelps is known for his impressive swimmer's physique, failing arm warm up before a race and his legendary wingspan. He is also famous for his flawless technique and record breaking times in the butterfly stroke, the "fly" for short. The fly is a dolphin kick combined with a circular swooping of both arms that looks like flying. In his last individual Olympic event, the 100m butterfly, Phelps won by 1/100th of a second, the touch of an angel's feather. In a video you can watch as Michael Phelps flies toward the finish line and touches the wall first and also for the last time in Olympic competition.

Hard Metal is also associated with powerful leaders like kings. These supernatural beings have superhuman powers much like your favorite legendary hero, superhero and god. The sword wielding dragon slayers and the knights of the round table. Iron Man, the man in the iron suit and Superman, the "man of steel", who wears his underwear (Speedos) on the outside. The hammer throwing demi-gods.

Sports Illustrated called Michael Phelps the "King of the Pool". Appropriately enough, upon receiving his first medal in Athens, Greece, home of the first Olympic Games he was crowned with a wreath of laurel.

Most likely, no matter how many of his records are broken in the pool, no one will be able to win as many medals as Phelps has in his career. Winning gold medals is his crowning achievement. He is a living legend and his will reign will endure. Long live the king!

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