Michael Phelps facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Michael Phelps

Phelps at the 2016 Summer Olympics
Personal information
Nickname(s)	"The Baltimore Bullet" "Flying Fish"
Born	(1985-06-30) June 30, 1985 (age 40) Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Height	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight	194 lb
Spouse(s)	Nicole Johnson ​ (m. 2016)​
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Butterfly, individual medley, freestyle, backstroke
Club	North Baltimore Aquatic Club
Coach	Bob Bowman
Medal record Men's swimming Representing the  United States Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 23 3 2 World Championships (LC) 26 6 1 World Championships (SC) 1 0 0 Pan Pacific Championships 16 5 0 By race Event 1st 2nd 3rd 100 m butterfly 8 3 0 200 m butterfly 10 2 0 200 m medley 9 2 0 400 m medley 6 0 0 200 m freestyle 4 2 1 200 m backstroke 0 1 0 4×100 m freestyle 7 2 2 4×200 m freestyle 11 2 0 4×100 m medley 11 0 0 Olympic Games Gold 2004 Athens 100 m butterfly Gold 2004 Athens 200 m butterfly Gold 2004 Athens 200 m medley Gold 2004 Athens 400 m medley Gold 2004 Athens 4×200 m freestyle Gold 2004 Athens 4×100 m medley Gold 2008 Beijing 200 m freestyle Gold 2008 Beijing 100 m butterfly Gold 2008 Beijing 200 m butterfly Gold 2008 Beijing 200 m medley Gold 2008 Beijing 400 m medley Gold 2008 Beijing 4×100 m freestyle Gold 2008 Beijing 4×200 m freestyle Gold 2008 Beijing 4×100 m medley Gold 2012 London 100 m butterfly Gold 2012 London 200 m medley Gold 2012 London 4×200 m freestyle Gold 2012 London 4×100 m medley Gold 2016 Rio de Janeiro 200 m butterfly Gold 2016 Rio de Janeiro 200 m medley Gold 2016 Rio de Janeiro 4×100 m freestyle Gold 2016 Rio de Janeiro 4×200 m freestyle Gold 2016 Rio de Janeiro 4×100 m medley Silver 2012 London 200 m butterfly Silver 2012 London 4×100 m freestyle Silver 2016 Rio de Janeiro 100 m butterfly Bronze 2004 Athens 200 m freestyle Bronze 2004 Athens 4×100 m freestyle World Championships (LC) Gold 2001 Fukuoka 200 m butterfly Gold 2003 Barcelona 200 m butterfly Gold 2003 Barcelona 200 m medley Gold 2003 Barcelona 400 m medley Gold 2003 Barcelona 4×100 m medley Gold 2005 Montreal 200 m freestyle Gold 2005 Montreal 200 m medley Gold 2005 Montreal 4×100 m freestyle Gold 2005 Montreal 4×200 m freestyle Gold 2005 Montreal 4×100 m medley Gold 2007 Melbourne 200 m freestyle Gold 2007 Melbourne 100 m butterfly Gold 2007 Melbourne 200 m butterfly Gold 2007 Melbourne 200 m medley Gold 2007 Melbourne 400 m medley Gold 2007 Melbourne 4×100 m freestyle Gold 2007 Melbourne 4×200 m freestyle Gold 2009 Rome 100 m butterfly Gold 2009 Rome 200 m butterfly Gold 2009 Rome 4×100 m freestyle Gold 2009 Rome 4×200 m freestyle Gold 2009 Rome 4×100 m medley Gold 2011 Shanghai 100 m butterfly Gold 2011 Shanghai 200 m butterfly Gold 2011 Shanghai 4×200 m freestyle Gold 2011 Shanghai 4×100 m medley Silver 2003 Barcelona 100 m butterfly Silver 2003 Barcelona 4×200 m freestyle Silver 2005 Montreal 100 m butterfly Silver 2009 Rome 200 m freestyle Silver 2011 Shanghai 200 m freestyle Silver 2011 Shanghai 200 m medley Bronze 2011 Shanghai 4×100 m freestyle World Championships (SC) Gold 2004 Indianapolis 200 m freestyle Pan Pacific Championships Gold 2002 Yokohama 200 m medley Gold 2002 Yokohama 400 m medley Gold 2002 Yokohama 4×100 m medley Gold 2006 Victoria 200 m butterfly Gold 2006 Victoria 200 m medley Gold 2006 Victoria 400 m medley Gold 2006 Victoria 4×100 m freestyle Gold 2006 Victoria 4×200 m freestyle Gold 2010 Irvine 100 m butterfly Gold 2010 Irvine 200 m butterfly Gold 2010 Irvine 4×100 m freestyle Gold 2010 Irvine 4×200 m freestyle Gold 2010 Irvine 4×100 m medley Gold 2014 Gold Coast 100 m butterfly Gold 2014 Gold Coast 4×200 m freestyle Gold 2014 Gold Coast 4×100 m medley Silver 2002 Yokohama 200 m butterfly Silver 2002 Yokohama 4×200 m freestyle Silver 2006 Victoria 200 m backstroke Silver 2014 Gold Coast 200 m medley Silver 2014 Gold Coast 4×100 m freestyle

Michael Fred Phelps II (born June 30, 1985) is an American former competitive swimmer. He is known as the most successful and decorated Olympian of all time. He has won a total of 28 Olympic medals. Phelps also holds the records for the most Olympic gold medals (23). He has the most Olympic gold medals in individual events (13). He also has the most Olympic medals in individual events (16).

At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Phelps won six gold and two bronze medals. This tied the record for the most medals at a single Games. Four years later, at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, he won eight gold medals. This broke the record for the most first-place finishes at any single Olympic Games. At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Phelps won four gold and two silver medals. At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, he won five gold medals and one silver. He was the most successful athlete at the Games for the fourth Olympics in a row.

Phelps has held many world records in swimming. He has won 65 gold, 14 silver, and three bronze medals in major international competitions. These include the Olympics, World Championships, and Pan Pacific Championships. He has won the World Swimmer of the Year Award eight times. He also won the American Swimmer of the Year Award eleven times. Sports Illustrated magazine gave him the Sportsman of the Year award in 2008. This was for his amazing Olympic success.

After the 2008 Summer Olympics, Phelps started the Michael Phelps Foundation. This foundation helps grow the sport of swimming. It also encourages healthier ways of living. Phelps retired after the 2012 Olympics. However, he returned to swimming in April 2014. At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, his fifth Olympics, he was chosen to be the flag bearer for the United States. He announced his second retirement on August 12, 2016. He had won more medals than 161 countries. He is widely seen as the greatest swimmer ever. Many also consider him one of the greatest athletes of all time.

Early Life and Learning to Swim

Michael Phelps was born in Baltimore, Maryland. He grew up in a neighborhood called Rodgers Forge. He is the youngest of three children. His mother, Debbie Phelps, was a middle school principal. His parents divorced when he was nine years old. This was a difficult time for him and his sisters. He went to Rodgers Forge Elementary and Dumbarton Middle School. He graduated from Towson High School in 2003.

Phelps started swimming when he was seven. His sisters swam, and he needed a way to use his energy. He later said his mom just wanted him to learn how to swim. But he and his sisters fell in love with the sport. When he was in sixth grade, he was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). By age 10, he held a national record for his age group. He trained at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club with coach Bob Bowman. He still holds many age group records today.

Michael's Swimming Journey

Training Hard to Win

Phelps trained with Bob Bowman since he was 11 years old. Bowman was a very strict coach. Phelps said training with Bowman was the smartest thing he ever did. After the 2004 Olympics, Bowman became a head coach at the University of Michigan. Phelps joined him there to train. He also took classes but did not get a degree. Phelps later returned to Baltimore with Bowman. When Bowman moved to Arizona State University in 2015, Phelps followed him. There is a story that Phelps ate 12,000 calories a day. But Phelps has said this was not true.

First Olympics: Sydney 2000

Phelps improved very quickly. He qualified for the 2000 Summer Olympics when he was just 15. This made him the youngest male to join a U.S. Olympic swim team in 68 years. He did not win a medal in Sydney. However, he made it to the finals and finished fifth in the 200-meter butterfly race.

Becoming a World Champion in 2001

At the trials for the 2001 World Aquatics Championships, Phelps broke a world record. He was 15 years and 9 months old. This made him the youngest male ever to set a swimming world record. At the World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, Phelps broke his own record. He became a world champion for the first time.

Pan Pacific Championships in 2002

Phelps in 2002

At the selection meet for the 2002 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, Phelps set an American record. He also broke the world record in the 400-meter individual medley. At the Pan Pacific Championships in Yokohama, Japan, Phelps won three gold medals and two silver medals. He won gold in the 400-meter individual medley and the 200-meter individual medley. He also helped the U.S. 4×100-meter medley relay team set a new world record.

World Championships in 2003

At the 2003 World Championships, Phelps won four gold medals and two silver medals. He also broke five world records. He broke his own world record in the 200-meter butterfly. He became the first man to swim under 1 minute, 54 seconds. He also set a new world record in the 200-meter individual medley. He won gold in the 400-meter individual medley, breaking his own world record. He also helped the U.S. team win the 4×100-meter medley relay.

Athens 2004 Summer Olympics

Olympic Trials

At the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Phelps competed in six events. He won the 400-meter individual medley with a new world record. He also won the 200-meter freestyle and 200-meter butterfly. He became the first person to qualify for six individual events for a U.S. Olympic team. He decided not to swim the 200-meter backstroke. He wanted to focus on other races.

Winning Big in Athens

In his first event in Athens, the 400-meter individual medley, Phelps won his first Olympic gold medal. He set a new world record. He then won a bronze medal in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay. In the 200-meter freestyle, he won a bronze medal. He finished behind two very fast swimmers. In the 200-meter butterfly, he won another gold medal. He broke an Olympic record. Later, he helped the 4×200-meter freestyle relay team win gold.

He continued his winning streak in the 200-meter individual medley, setting an Olympic record. In the 100-meter butterfly, he won gold by a tiny margin. He chose not to swim in the final of the 4×100-meter medley relay. This allowed his teammate, Ian Crocker, to swim. The American team won the event and set a world record. Since Phelps swam in a preliminary race, he also received a gold medal. Phelps won six gold and two bronze medals in Athens. This was the second-best performance ever at a single Olympics.

World Championships in 2005

Victory lap of the 100 m butterfly during the 2005 FINA World Championships in Montréal. Phelps is far right.

At the 2005 World Aquatics Championships, Phelps won five gold medals and one silver. He won gold in the 200-meter freestyle, setting a new American record. He also won the 200-meter individual medley. He helped the U.S. win gold in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay and the 4×200-meter freestyle relay. He earned a silver medal in the 100-meter butterfly. He also received a gold medal for swimming in the heats of the 4×100-meter medley relay.

Pan Pacific Championships in 2006

At the 2006 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, Phelps won five gold medals and one silver. He set a new world record in the 200-meter butterfly. He also won the 400-meter individual medley. He helped the U.S. win gold in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay. He won a silver medal in the 200-meter backstroke. He then helped the 4×100-meter freestyle relay team set a new world record. He also broke his own world record in the 200-meter individual medley.

World Championships in 2007

At the 2007 World Aquatics Championships, Phelps won seven gold medals. He tied the record for most gold medals at a global championship. He also broke five world records. He won gold in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay. He then set a world record in the 200-meter freestyle. He broke his own world record in the 200-meter butterfly. He set another world record in the 200-meter individual medley. He helped the 4×200-meter freestyle relay team set a world record. He won his sixth gold in the 100-meter butterfly. Finally, he won his seventh gold in the 400-meter individual medley, setting another world record.

Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics

Olympic Trials

At the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Phelps competed in six individual events. He broke his own world record in the 400-meter individual medley. He also won the 200-meter freestyle and 200-meter butterfly. He broke his own world record in the 200-meter individual medley. He also won the 100-meter butterfly.

Making History in Beijing

Phelps started the 2008 Summer Olympics by winning gold in the 400-meter individual medley. He broke his own world record. He then swam the first part of the 4×100-meter freestyle relay. The team won gold and set a new world record. His teammate Jason Lezak made an amazing comeback to win the race. Phelps said that comments from a French swimmer motivated him.

For his third race, Phelps broke his world record in the 200-meter freestyle. He won his third gold medal. This made him one of only five athletes to win nine Olympic gold medals.

Phelps holds his gold medal on the podium on August 10, 2008. Pictured with Ryan Lochte and László Cseh.

The next day, Phelps won his fourth gold medal in the 200-meter butterfly. He set a new world record. This was his tenth Olympic gold medal, making him the all-time leader. He also became the first swimmer to win three Olympic butterfly titles. Less than an hour later, he helped the 4×200-meter freestyle relay team win gold. They set a new world record, becoming the first team to finish under seven minutes.

Phelps won his sixth gold medal in the 200-meter individual medley. He set another world record.

Seventh Gold Medal

Phelps won his seventh gold medal in the 100-meter butterfly. He set an Olympic record. He won by a tiny margin of 0.01 seconds. This tied Mark Spitz's record of seven gold medals at a single Olympics. Phelps said, "Dream as big as you can dream, and anything is possible."

Breaking the All-Time Record

Michael Phelps celebrates with his teammates after winning his 8th gold medal.

On August 17, Phelps won his eighth gold medal in the 4×100-meter medley relay. This broke Mark Spitz's record. Phelps and his teammates set a new world record. Phelps swam the butterfly part of the relay. He gave his teammate Jason Lezak a big lead. Phelps said, "Records are always made to be broken... Anybody can do anything that they set their mind to."

World Championships in 2009

At the 2009 World Aquatics Championships, Phelps won five gold medals and one silver. He helped the 4×100-meter freestyle relay team win gold. He then won a silver medal in the 200-meter freestyle. He broke his own world record in the 200-meter butterfly, winning gold. He helped the 4×200-meter freestyle relay team win gold and break a world record. He became the first man to swim the 100-meter butterfly in under 50 seconds, winning gold. For his final event, he helped the 4×100-meter medley relay team set a new world record and win gold.

Pan Pacific Championships in 2010

On the first day of the 2010 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, Phelps won the 200-meter butterfly. On day two, he helped the 4×200-meter freestyle relay team win gold. On day three, he won the 100-meter butterfly, setting a championship record. He also helped the 4×100-meter freestyle relay team win gold. In his final event, he helped the 4×100-meter medley relay team win gold.

World Championships in 2011

At the 2011 World Aquatics Championships, Phelps won four gold, two silver, and one bronze medal. He won bronze in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay. He won silver in the 200-meter freestyle. He won his first gold in the 200-meter butterfly. This made him the first swimmer to win five gold medals in one event at the World Championships.

He won silver in the 200-meter individual medley. He then helped the 4×200-meter freestyle relay team win gold. He won his third straight title in the 100-meter butterfly. In his last event, he helped the 4×100-meter medley relay team win gold.

London 2012 Summer Olympics

Olympic Trials

For the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Phelps decided to try some new events. However, at the 2012 United States Olympic Trials, he qualified for the same eight events he swam in Beijing. He later decided not to swim the 200-meter freestyle. He wanted to focus on the 4×100-meter freestyle relay. Phelps became the first American male swimmer to qualify for five Olympics.

Olympic Medals in London

In his 100m butterfly heat, Phelps (fourth from top) was 8th at the 50m split before winning his heat and qualifying for the semi-finals

In his first event at the 2012 Olympics, the 400-meter individual medley, Phelps finished fourth. This was the first time he did not win a medal in an Olympic event since 2000. The next night, he won a silver medal in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay.

On July 31, 2012, Phelps won a silver medal in the 200-meter butterfly. He then won a gold medal in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay. With this, he became the all-time record holder for most Olympic medals won.

On August 2, 2012, Phelps won his 16th Olympic gold medal. He won the 200-meter individual medley. This made him the first male swimmer to win the same event in three Olympics in a row. He repeated this amazing achievement the next evening. He won the 100-meter butterfly, his last individual event.

Phelps's final event was the 4×100-meter medley relay. He won his 18th career gold medal and his 22nd Olympic medal overall. He won four gold and two silver medals in London. He was the most successful swimmer of the meet for the third Olympics in a row. After the 2012 Olympics, Phelps said he was done with swimming.

Coming Back in 2014

In April 2014, Phelps announced he would return to swimming. He was motivated by the U.S. team's relay performance. He wanted to swim for himself and enjoy the journey. He changed his diet and training. By the 2016 Olympic Trials, he felt stronger than ever.

US Nationals in 2015

Phelps competed in the US National Championships in San Antonio. He won gold medals in the 100-meter butterfly, 200-meter butterfly, and 200-meter individual medley. He swam the fastest times in the world for 2015 in these events. In December 2015, he won titles in the same three events. This brought his total to 62 national titles.

Rio 2016 Summer Olympics

Olympic Trials

At the US trials for the 2016 Summer Olympics, Phelps won the 200-meter butterfly, 200-meter individual medley, and 100-meter butterfly. This made him the first American male swimmer to qualify for a fifth Olympics.

Leading the Team in Rio

Phelps was chosen to be the American flag bearer at the opening ceremony. This was his first time attending an Olympic opening ceremony. He was also voted as one of the team captains. He seemed relaxed and happy in Rio. He was with his fiancée Nicole Johnson and their son Boomer.

In his first event on August 7, the 4×100-meter freestyle relay, he won his first gold medal of the 2016 Games. This was his 19th Olympic gold medal overall. Phelps swam the second part of the race. He helped his team take a lead they never lost. His swim was a key part of the victory.

Phelps carrying the flag on behalf of athletes from the United States during the parade of nations within the 2016 Summer Olympics opening ceremony

On August 9, Phelps won the 200-meter butterfly. He became the first swimmer to make five finals in the same event. He won the title he had lost four years earlier. This victory made him the oldest male champion in Olympic swimming history. He also became the first swimmer to win individual gold medals 12 years apart.

Also on August 9, Phelps won his 21st gold medal in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay. This was his and teammate Ryan Lochte's fourth straight gold medal in this event. This is an all-time record in swimming.

Phelps with Nathan Adrian, Ryan Held and Caeleb Dressel, after winning the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay

On August 11, Phelps won his 22nd gold medal in the 200-meter individual medley. This was his fourth straight gold medal in this event. He became the first swimmer to win the same individual event four times. With this 13th individual gold medal, Phelps broke an ancient Olympic record. This record was held by Leonidas of Rhodes, who had twelve individual titles.

In the 100-meter butterfly, Phelps won a silver medal. He tied with two other swimmers.

On August 13, in the 4×100-meter medley relay, Phelps ended his career with another gold medal. This was his 23rd Olympic gold medal and 28th Olympic medal overall. He and his teammates broke the Olympic record. They won the United States' 1001st Summer Olympics gold medal. Phelps retired from competitive swimming for good after the Rio Olympics. His performance in Rio was special because he won many gold medals at 31 years old. This is older than most male swimmers' peak performance age. Phelps is considered one of the greatest Olympians ever.

Video Game About Michael Phelps

In 2011, a video game called Michael Phelps: Push the Limit was released. It was for the Xbox 360 and Kinect. The game promised to bring the fun of swimming races to your home.

Michael Phelps's Life Outside the Pool

Michael Phelps is married to former Miss California USA Nicole Johnson. They secretly married on June 13, 2016. They met in 2007. They have four sons together. The family lives in Paradise Valley, Arizona. Phelps volunteers as an assistant coach for the Arizona State Sun Devils swim team.

As a teenager, Phelps looked up to Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe. Thorpe initially thought it was unlikely Phelps would win eight gold medals in Beijing. Phelps used these words to motivate himself. Thorpe was there when Phelps won his eighth gold medal. He congratulated Phelps and his mother. Thorpe later said he was proud of how much Phelps had grown.

Phelps loves to play golf. He has played in many amateur and professional golf tournaments. He even thought about becoming a professional golfer after swimming. At a tournament in 2012, Phelps set a world record for the longest televised putt. He sank a putt from 159 feet away.

Phelps also looks up to Michael Jordan. He said Jordan changed the sport of basketball. Phelps is a fan of the Baltimore Ravens football team. He has shared that he found his purpose and desire to compete in the 2016 Olympics after getting advice from Ray Lewis.

In January 2018, Phelps shared that he has faced challenges with ADHD.

Helping Others: Michael Phelps Foundation

Phelps with im program participants (left), Phelps Foundation's im logo (right).

After the 2008 Olympics, Phelps used his $1 million bonus from Speedo to start the Michael Phelps Foundation. This foundation works to make swimming more popular. It also helps people live healthier lives.

In 2010, the Michael Phelps Foundation created the "im" program. This program teaches children about being active and healthy. It focuses on swimming and setting goals. The "im" program is offered through the Boys & Girls Clubs and Special Olympics International. The Foundation also has other programs.

The Foundation's biggest event is its yearly fundraiser, the Michael Phelps Foundation Golf Classic. Phelps said he wanted to work more with his Foundation after he retired from swimming.

In 2017, Phelps joined the board of Medibio. This company helps with the diagnosis of mental health conditions.

World Records Held by Michael Phelps

Phelps has set 39 world records in swimming. This is more than any other swimmer recognized by FINA. He broke Mark Spitz's record of 33 world records. As of July 2025, he still holds world records in two relay events.

Long Course (50-meter pool) World Records

• 4x100-meter freestyle relay: 3:08.24 (set at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, on August 11, 2008) - Current
• 4x200-meter freestyle relay: 6:58.55 (set at the 2009 World Aquatics Championships in Rome, Italy, on July 31, 2009) - Current

Guinness World Records

Phelps holds 20 Guinness World Records. These records are mostly for winning the most medals or setting the most records in swimming. He holds the highest number of these types of records for an athlete. Some of his Guinness World Records include:

• Most world records set for swimming (male)
• Most individual swimming Olympic gold medals
• Most medals won at the FINA Swimming World Championships
• Most Olympic gold medals in team swimming
• Most medals won at the Olympics for swimming (male)
• Most Men's World Swimmer of the Year Awards
• Most Olympic golds at one Games (male)
• Most gold medals won at the Olympics for an individual event (male)
• Most FINA world records held by an individual
• Most Olympic medals won, Men
• Most consecutive Olympic swimming gold medals in the same event (male)
• Most gold medals won at the Olympics (male)
• Most individual Olympic medals (male)
• Most swimming Olympic medals won, men (single games)
• Most Olympic medals won (single games), men
• Most gold medals won at a single FINA World Championships (individual)
• Fastest swim short course relay 4 x 100 metres freestyle (male)
• Fastest swim long course relay 4 x 200 metres freestyle (male)

Awards and Honors

Phelps and Maryland House Speaker Mike Busch in April 2009. Both houses of the Maryland General Assembly honored Phelps that day.

Phelps was part of the USA Olympic team in 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016. He holds records for most Olympic gold medals (23), most individual gold medals (13), and most medals at one Games (8 in Beijing 2008). A street in his hometown of Baltimore was named The Michael Phelps Way in 2004. In April 2009, the Maryland government honored him for his Olympic achievements.

Phelps has received many awards, including:

• Swimming World World Swimmer of the Year Award: 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2016
• Swimming World American Swimmer of the Year Award: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2016
• Fédération internationale de natation swimmer of the year: 2012, 2016
• Golden Goggle Male Performance of the Year: 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2016
• Golden Goggle Relay Performance of the Year: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2016
• Golden Goggle Male Athlete of the Year: 2004, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016
• Golden Goggle Impact award: 2016
• SwimSwam Swammy Award for Male Swimmer of the Year: 2016
• USOC SportsMan of the Year Award: 2004, 2008, 2011–12, 2016
• James E. Sullivan Award: 2003
• Gazzetta dello Sport Sportsman of the Year: 2003, 2004
• Laureus World Comeback of the Year Award: 2017
• United States Sports Academy Male Athlete of the Year: 2003, 2008
• Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year: 2008
• Associated Press Athlete of the Year: 2008, 2012
• Marca Leyenda award: 2008
• Morton E. Ruderman Award in Inclusion, 2019, for his work helping people with disabilities and sharing his own mental health journey.

See also

In Spanish: Michael Phelps para niños