Michael Phelps

Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympic athlete of all time, having won 28 Olympic medals, including 23 gold medals, across five Olympic Games. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Phelps began swimming at age seven and was coached by Bob Bowman for most of his career. He qualified for the 2000 Sydney Olympics at just 15 years old, becoming the youngest male swimmer to make a U.S. Olympic team in 68 years.

Phelps dominated competitive swimming for nearly two decades. At the 2004 Athens Olympics, he won six gold and two bronze medals. He reached the pinnacle of his sport at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where he won an unprecedented eight gold medals in a single Games, breaking Mark Spitz’s record of seven. He continued his dominance at the 2012 London Olympics with four golds and two silvers, and returned from a brief retirement to claim five golds and one silver at the 2016 Rio Olympics at age 31.

Throughout his career, Phelps set 39 world records and won 82 medals in major international competition. His endorsement portfolio included deals with Speedo, Subway, Omega, Under Armour, and Visa, earning him millions annually beyond his competition earnings. His 2012 deal with Speedo alone was reportedly worth $1 million per gold medal won.

Since his final retirement in 2016, Phelps has become one of the most prominent mental health advocates in sports. He has been open about his struggles with depression and ADHD, using his platform to reduce stigma around mental health issues. He serves on the board of Medibio, a mental health technology company, and founded the Michael Phelps Foundation to promote water safety and healthy living. His combination of career earnings, endorsement deals, speaking fees, and business ventures has built a net worth estimated at $100 million.