Michael Phelps Biography, Age, Medals, Wife, Net Worth

Michael Fred Phelps II is a retired Olympic swimmer; he holds the record for most Olympic gold medals received by an athlete.

Michael Phelps Biography

Michael Phelps was born on June 30, 1985, in Baltimore, Maryland, and grew up in Towson. He is the youngest of three children. His mother, Debbie, worked as a middle school principal, and his father, Fred, was a retired Maryland State Trooper. When Michael was nine, his parents got divorced, a turning point that deeply affected the family. His father remarried in 2000; this hurt the relationship he and his siblings had with their father.

Michael Phelps’s Educational Background

Michael Phelps went to Rodgers Forge Elementary, then moved on to Dumbarton Middle School, and later attended Towson High School, graduating in 2003. By that time, he was already making waves in the swimming world. He enrolled at the University of Michigan shortly after, but eventually chose to leave and dedicate himself fully to his swimming career.

Michael Phelps Career

Michael Phelps got into swimming at the age of seven, partly because his mom wanted him to learn the basics and partly as a way to channel his boundless energy, as he had been earlier diagnosed with ADHD. By age 10, he had already made a name for himself by setting a national age-group record in the 100-meter butterfly. Recognizing his potential, he began training seriously at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club under coach Bob Bowman. After the 2004 Summer Olympics, Bowman took over as head coach at the University of Michigan. Phelps followed him to Michigan, where he trained with the team and took college classes for several years, though he didn’t pursue a degree.

World Championships

Michael Phelps’s swimming career took off early. At just 15, he qualified for the 2000 Summer Olympics, becoming the youngest male to make the U.S. swim team in nearly seven decades. Though he didn’t medal, he reached the finals and finished fifth in the 200-meter butterfly.

The following year, he broke the world record in that same event at just 15 years and 9 months old, making him the youngest male swimmer ever to set a world record—surpassing Ian Thorpe’s previous mark. At the 2001 World Championships in Japan, he broke his own record and claimed his first world title.

Phelps continued to dominate, winning multiple events at Nationals in different strokes and later breaking the world record in the 400-meter individual medley. He narrowly missed another in the 100-meter butterfly by just 0.03 seconds. From that point on, breaking records became a constant in his career, establishing him as one of the most successful swimmers in history.

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Michael Phelps Awards and Medals

Michael Phelps was known as one of the greatest swimmers of his time, during the course of his career, he received several awards. He still holds the record for athlets with the most Olympic medals. Some of his awards includes;

Total Olympic Medals: 28

• Gold: 23
• Silver: 3
• Bronze: 2

Major Awards & Honors

• Swimming World Awards:
  • World Swimmer of the Year: 2003, 2004, 2006–2009, 2012, 2016
  • American Swimmer of the Year: 2001–2004, 2006–2009, 2012, 2015, 2016
• FINA Swimmer of the Year: 2012, 2016
• Golden Goggle Awards:
  • Male Athlete of the Year: 2004, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2014–2016
  • Male Performance of the Year: 2004, 2006–2009, 2016
  • Relay Performance of the Year: 2006–2009, 2016
  • Impact Award: 2016
• USOC SportsMan of the Year: 2004, 2008, 2011–2012, 2016
• James E. Sullivan Award: 2003
• Laureus World Sports Awards:
  • Sportsman of the Year (nominated): 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2013
  • Comeback of the Year: 2017
• 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 advocacy in mental health and inclusion .​

Michael Phelps Age

He was born on June 30, 1985, he is 40 years old as of 2025.

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Michael Phelps Wife and Children

Michael Phelps is married to Nicole Johnson, a former Miss California USA. The two first met at the ESPY Awards in 2007 where she was interning, and began dating, but their relationship had its ups and downs, they broke up in 2008, got back together, then split again in 2010. By 2012, they began reconnecting and eventually got engaged in February 2015.

Today, they’re happily married with four sons and live together in Paradise Valley, Arizona.

Michael Phelps Philanthropic Works

Michael used the $1 million bonus he got from Speedo after the 2008 Olympics to create the Michael Phelps Foundation. The foundation’s goal is to expand the sport of swimming and encourage healthier living.

In 2010, the foundation teamed up with the Michael Phelps Swim School and KidsHealth.org to launch the “im” program, which was piloted nationally for Boys & Girls Club members. The program teaches kids the importance of being active and staying healthy, with a special focus on swimming. It also emphasizes the value of setting goals and planning. “im” is available through the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Special Olympics International.

The foundation later introduced two more initiatives: the Level Field Fund-Swimming and Caps-for-a-Cause. In 2017, Phelps also joined the board of Medibio, a company focused on diagnosing mental health conditions.

Michael Phelps Personal Life

Michael Phelps loves golfing and has played in a number of smaller tournaments over the years. After retiring, he even considered going pro. One of his most memorable moments came at the 2012 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, where he teamed up with pro golfer Paul Casey and made headlines by sinking an awe-inspiring 159-foot putt, the longest televised putt ever recorded. He is also a die-hard Baltimore Ravens fan. In 2018, he opened up about his mental health, revealing his experiences with ADHD and depression. He shared that following the 2012 Olympics, he went through an incredibly dark time and even contemplated suicide. Sadly, father died in 2022.

Michael Phelps Endorsements

In the course of his career, Phelps has worked with major brands be it health brands, finance companies, sporting gear brands etc. Some of these brands includes.

• Speedo – This was his first brand endorsement, signed with them at the age of 16.
• Under Armour.
• Aqua Sphere/Aqua Lungs
• Visa
• AT&T
• Beats by Dre
• Sol Republic
• Subway
• PowerBar
• Kellogg’s
• Omega
• Colgate
• Hilton Hotels
• Louis Vuitton
• Pfizer
• Mazda

Michael Phelps Net Worth

As of 2025, Michael Phelps has an estimated net worth of about $100 million. This astonishing sum comes from different sources, although his major source of income now that he is retired is brand endorsements.

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Michael Phelps Social Media Handles

• Instagram: @m_phelps00
• Twitter X: @Michael Phelps
• Facebook: Michael Phelps