We all know Michael Phelps as the most decorated Olympian of all time. He has more total medals than even the ancient Grecian athlete, Leonidas of Rhodes.
At the age of 31, Phelps is about to retire with a total of 26 Olympic medals, 22 of them being gold. That is literally an insane feat, and he still has one race to go in 2016.
It's hard to grasp what a historic career we've all witnessed while watching Phelps compete throughout his life. Ever since he was 15 and had already competed in his first Olympics, his only goal was to swim faster, and to get that gold.
He didn't live the life of a normal teenager, but he carved his own path. He and his coach both knew that he was different from all of the other kids on the team. I guess qualifying for the American Olympic team will set that standard…
While it's easy to look at Phelps as the unbeatable, 22 Olympic gold swimmer, it's not as easy to picture him as a kid, aiming for that glory that he eventually achieved.
But everyone has to start from somewhere, right?
Phelps came from a place of great determination and drive, and that spirit never left him. Some people are simply born for great things, and Phelps is one of those people.
I sure do hope that he enjoys his retirement from the sport at the ripe age of 31!
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