American swimmer who won 23 Olympic gold medals, the most by any Olympic athlete in history.
Background
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Phelps trained from age seven under coach Bob Bowman and made his Olympic debut at age 15 in Sydney 2000.
Career
At Beijing 2008 he won eight golds, surpassing Mark Spitz’s 1972 record of seven. He retired briefly after London 2012, returned for Rio 2016, and concluded his career with 23 golds, 3 silvers, and 2 bronzes across five Olympics.
Style of play
A long-armed swimmer with a wingspan exceeding his height, Phelps was strongest in the butterfly and individual medley. He combined endurance with race-management strategy.
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