Michael Phelps

Michael Fred Phelps II (born June 30, 1985) is an American former competitive swimmer. He is the most successful and most decorated Olympian of all time with a total of 28 medals. Phelps holds the all-time records for Olympic gold medals (23), Olympic gold medals in individual events (13), and Olympic medals in individual events (16). He tied the record for the most medals of any color at a single Games, held by gymnast Alexander Dityatin, at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, winning six gold and two bronze medals. Phelps broke fellow American swimmer Mark Spitz's 1972 record of seven first-place finishes at any single Olympic Games by winning eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Games. Throughout his Olympic career, Phelps won a total of 23 gold medals, making him the most successful athlete of the Games for four consecutive Olympics.