Phelps' Swimming Resume Beyond Comparison

By winning gold in his final race, Michael Phelps finished his Rio Games as the most decorated Olympian in history with 28 total medals, including 23 golds. 

It's hard to comprehend just how impressive his swimming resume is. Outside of the Olympics, where he didn't have the international spotlight shining down him like he does during the Games, Phelps was just as impressive.

Let's take a look at some of the highlights of an illustrious career (courtesy of USA Swimming):

  • First American male swimmer to qualify for five Olympic teams
  • Set world records in the 100m fly (first person to ever break 50 seconds), 200m fly, 4x100m medley-relay, and 4x200 free-relay
  • Won eight gold medals at the 2008 Olympic Games, more than any other athlete at an Olympic Games
  • During the nine-day 2008 competition, set seven world records, eight American records and eight Olympic records
  • Set four individual world records and won seven gold medals at the 2007 World Championships to become the winningest athlete in World Championship history Became first athlete ever to win eight medals (six gold) at a non-boycotted Olympic Games in 2004
  • His eight medals tie 1980 USSR gymnast Alexandr Dityatin for most medals by an athlete in a single Olympics
  • Only man to win five U.S. National titles at the same Championships
  • Only man to ever win a U.S. National title in three different strokes at one national championship
  • Youngest male Olympian since 1932 (2000 Olympic Games)
  • Youngest man (15 years, nine months) to break a world record, breaking 200m fly mark at the 2001 Spring Nationals.

[NATL] The Many Faces of Michael Phelps

Phelps' list of Olympic medals alone is jaw-dropping:

Rio 2016:

Gold:

  • 4x100m freestyle relay
  • 200m butterfly
  • 4x200m freestyle relay
  • 200m IM
  • 4x100m medley relay

Silver:

  • 100m butterfly

London 2012:

Gold:

  • 100m butterfly
  • 200m IM
  • 4x100m medley relay
  • 4x200m freestyle relay

Silver:

  • 200m butterfly
  • 4x100m freestyle relay

Beijing 2008:

Gold:

  • 200m IM (WR)
  • 200m butterfly (WR)
  • 400m IM (WR)
  • 100m butterfly
  • 200m freestyle (WR)
  • 4x100m medley relay
  • 4x100m freestyle relay (WR)
  • 4x200m freestyle relay (WR)

Athens 2004:

Gold:

  • 100m butterfly
  • 4x200m freestyle relay
  • 200m butterfly
  • 400m IM
  • 4x100m medley relay
  • 200m IM

Bronze:

  • 200m freestyle
  • 4x100m freestyle relay
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