A biography for Michael Phelpshasn’t been written yet.
“Even in high school, I'd tell my mom I was sick of swimming and wanted to try to play golf. She wasn't too happy. She'd say, 'Think about this.' And I'd always end up getting back in the pool.”
“I wouldn't say anything is impossible. I think that everything is possible as long as you put your mind to it and put the work and time into it.”
“I won't predict anything historic. But nothing is impossible.”
“Every sponsor I've had has been something that fit my lifestyle, fit my personality.”
“I want to be able to look back and say, 'I've done everything I can, and I was successful.' I don't want to look back and say I should have done this or that. I'd like to change things for the younger generation of swimmers coming along.”
“If you want to be the best, you have to do things that other people aren't willing to do.”
“I know it won't be eight medals again. If you want to compare me to that, that's your decision, not mine. I'm going out there to try to accomplish the things that I have in my mind and in my heart.”
“For so long, I looked at myself as literally a kid who was talented who would go up and down the pool. That's it. Nothing else. Very few people knew who I really was.”
“There are too many kids who are drowning for lack of water safety. That's something I'd like to do. Teaching kids to live an active lifestyle.”
“I can't remember the last day I didn't train.”
“I want to continue the sport of swimming. I'm not going to give up until I think it's reached where I want it to go.”
“The more you dream the more you achieve.”
“I think goals should never be easy, they should force you to work, even if they are uncomfortable at the time.”
“If I didn't swim my best, I'd think about it at school, at dinner, with my friends. It would drive me crazy.”
“I have the opportunity to be part of swimming history. To take the sport to a new level would be an honor for me. There's no better time to try this than now.”
“I can only control my own performance. If I do my best, then I can feel good at the end of the day.”
“Swimming is normal for me. I'm relaxed. I'm comfortable, and I know my surroundings. It's my home.”
“I am 26 and, and I don't recover as fast as I have in the past.”
“I think sometimes I guess you see records, say you want to get there and use that as motivation. In a way, it's kind of cool if there is a possibility to rewrite history and be up there with the greats of Olympic history.”