Speedo International Ltd. is a manufacturer and distributor of swimwear and swim-related accessories. Founded in Sydney, Australia in 1914, the industry leading company is now a subsidiary of Pentland Group Plc. Today, the Speedo brand can be found on products ranging from swimsuits and goggles to wrist watches and MP3 players.^[2] The Speedo brand is manufactured for and marketed in North America as Speedo USA by The Warnaco Group, Inc. under exclusive perpetual license.^[3]

History[link]

Australian swimmers Bonnie Mealing, Clare Dennis, Frances Bult with chaperone and sprinters Eileen Wearne (Aus) and Thelma Kench (NZ) at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics

Speedo Knitting Mills[link]

Company founder Alexander MacRae emigrated from Loch Kishorn in the Western Highlands of Scotland to Sydney, Australia in 1910. Originally working as a milkman, he founded MacRae and Company Hosiery four years later, manufacturing underwear under the brand name Fortitude (taken from his family crest).^[4] The Australian Army’s need for socks during the First World War provided MacRae with enough business to expand and in 1927 his first line of swimwear, called a “racer-back costume” was introduced. The following year, a naming contest held among the MacRae staff yielded the slogan “Speed on in your Speedos.” The brand name was born. The contest winner, Captain Parsonson, was awarded £5 for his slogan and the company was renamed Speedo Knitting Mills.^[4]

The controversial yet revolutionary racerback style’s open shoulder and exposed back allowed greater range of motion in water and was quickly adapted by competitive swimmers, despite being banned by some beaches.^[5] In 1932, Speedo made its Olympic debut when 16 year old Australian Clare Dennis won the Women's 200 Meter Breaststroke at the Los Angeles Olympic Games. After nearly being disqualified for “showing too much shoulder” in her regulation silk Speedo brand swimsuit, Dennis went on to set a world record time of 3:06.3.^[6] The 1936 Berlin Summer Games also saw some controversy as the men’s Australian swim team featured shirtless swim trunks for the first time. Also in 1936, Alexander MacRae became involved in the Surf Life Saving Association. To this day, Speedo continues to support the Australian volunteer organization.^[7]

Two years later, company founder Alexander MacRae died at the age of 50.^[4]

Post-War Expansion[link]

After devoting most of its resources to the War Effort during World War II, Speedo enjoyed a great post-war demand for swimsuits, specifically the recently invented bikini style. The company quickly reestablished itself as a leader in swimwear manufacturing and once again drew controversy when its two-piece was banned by Australian beach inspectors.^[7] In 1951, Speedo Knitting Mills (Holdings) Ltd. incorporated and went public, selling its stock on the Sydney Stock Exchange.^[7] In 1955, nylon was used for the first time in the company's swimsuits^[8] and the next year, the increasingly popular swimsuit brand returned to the Olympics when its home country hosted the Melbourne Summer Games.^[4] The Speedo sponsored Australian men’s swim team took home eight gold medals^[9] and brought a new worldwide level of notoriety to the company which debuted the swim briefs that would become synonymous with the brand name. By 1957, Speedo had the exclusive license to manufacture and distribute Jockey brand men's underwear in Australia.^[10] The company finished off the 1950s by exporting to the United States and exploring potential opportunities in South America, Europe, New Zealand and Japan.^[7]

The end of the 1950s also saw the beginning of a long-lasting business partnership which continues to this day. In 1958, Speedo began the manufacture of American Warnaco's White Stag ski-wear line. In exchange, in 1961, White Stag became the exclusive US distributor of Speedo swimwear. Through White Stag, Speedo's product line expanded to include men's and women's sportswear.^[11] By the middle of the 1960s, Speedo had acquired 30% of Nottingham, UK textile manufacturer Robert Shaw and Company, Ltd. and had established a European subsidiary. Licenses were also granted to Japanese and South American corporations.^[7] The 1968 Mexico City Summer Olympics saw 27 of the 29 gold medalists — 22 of which set world records — wearing Speedo brand swimsuits.^[7]

Speedo began the next decade by completing its acquisition of Robert Shaw and Company in 1971.^[12] The 1970s also saw the company pioneer the use of elastane (spandex) and the brand's use in Olympic record breaking continued at the 1972 Munich and 1976 Montreal games, the latter of which Speedo was an official swimwear licensee.^[7]

On Australia Day, 26 January 1981 The Australian Institute of Sport opened in Canberra with Speedo as its first official sponsor.^[7] Also early in the decade, Speedo provided equipment and training to China^[7] to aid the communist country's return to the Olympics for first time since 1958.^[13] Throughout the decade, the brand expanded its reach in Europe by licensing production in Italy, Spain, Sweden and other nations, bringing its total distribution to 112 countries.^[7]

Modern Technology[link]

In 1990, British sportswear firm Pentland Group, which had just sold its shares of sneaker company Reebok, acquired a significant stake in Warnaco offshoot Authentic Fitness, which was the exclusive North American licensee of Speedo. Pentland followed this move with the purchase of 80% of Speedo (Europe) Ltd. Early the next year, Pentland completed its aggressive entrance into the global swimwear market by wholly acquiring Speedo Australia and Speedo International.^[14] Under Pentland's ownership, Speedo expanded its line of swimwear to include more fashion-oriented beachwear as well as triathlon accessories.

Michael Phelps (center) unveils the Speedo LZR Racer suit.

Even under the new corporate command, Speedo continued its winning tradition of utilizing cutting edge technology to decrease drag in the water and increase speed into the 1990s. The decade saw the creation of the low-drag S2000 suit, the chlorine resistant Endurance line as well as the Aquablade series which was worn by more than three-fourths of medal winners at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games.^[7]

Speedo began the 21st century with the introduction of its Fastskin swimsuit and, again, broke world records when the Summer Games returned to the swimwear leader's home town. The company website boasts that 13 out of the 15 swimming records broken in the 2000 Sydney Olympics were by athletes wearing Speedo. Three years later, Speedo celebrated its 75th anniversary with special limited edition lines endorsed by Jerry Hall, Naomi Campbell and others. In 2004, Michael Phelps wore the latest evolution of the Fastskin series^[7] in Athens to become the first swimmer to earn eight medals.^[15] Phelps followed up this performance four years later, earning eight golds.^[15] at Beijing, while wearing Speedo's LZR Racer suit^[7] In 2010, the company launched Speedo Sculpture ShapeLine, a new line of body-shaping swimsuits for women.^[16]

Products[link]

Although the brand name Speedo is often genericized to refer to any style of men's swim briefs, the thigh exposing budgie smugglers (as they are colloquially referred to in Australia) only account for less than 2% of the company's sales.^[17] The Speedo name can be found on a wide range of swimsuit styles for men, women, and children focusing on performance and style. Speedo also offers a range of sportswear, footwear, and accessories ranging from swim goggles to electronics. Additionally, Speedo International offers a line of men's underwear and Speedo Australia features a line of underwear called Speedo Underbody for men and women, sold only in select David Jones retail stores.^[18]

Accessories[link]

Speedo offers a broad range of swim accessories including more than 70 models of goggles,^[19] several models of watches, sunglasses, and towels. In addition, Speedo offers several lines of aquatic fitness aids and swim aids for children and adults as well as scuba masks, snorkels and swimfins. Speedo International offers a line of beach games equipment not offered on the SpeedoUSA website.

Footwear[link]

The speedo brand can be found on a wide variety of footwear including sandals, flip-flops, and water shoes. Speedo USA offers waterproof sneakers for aqua fitness training.^[20]

Speedo Digital[link]

The Speedo Digital line of accessories includes the waterproof Aquabeat and LZR Racer Aquabeat digital music players and related accessories, which are manufactured by South Korean consumer electronics company Iriver.^[21] Speedo's electronics offerings also include the Auquashot waterproof digital camera.

Swimwear[link]

Speedo's swimwear lineup is as diverse as ever. Speedo USA's online catalog divides its women's swimwear lines into the following categories: Competition, Fashion, Racing, Aquatic Fitness, and Lifeguard.^[22] Speedo International offers the additional categories of women's swimsuits: Essentials, Bikinis, and Maternity as well as full-bodied wetsuits.^[23] Speedo USA's men's collections are categorized as: Competition, Racing, Boardshorts and Swim Trunks, Fashion, and Lifeguard.^[22] Speedo International's men's offerings also include wetsuits.^[23] Both Speedo USA and Speedo International also offer a wide range of children's styles including performance, racing, fashion and beginner lines.^[22][23]

Additionally, Speedo International offers a website and line of products called Speedo Sea Squad which features games and activities to help young children learn about swimming and water safety.^[24]

Controversial Technology[link]

Beginning with Arne Borg's record breaking introduction of the racerback suit in 1932, Speedo has utilized the latest technologies available and — more recently — has been an industry leader in fabric technology innovations. Swim records were broken in Speedo brand silk suits in the 1930s, and the company was the first to introduce the use of nylon in the 1950s^[8] and later nylon/elastane in the 1970s.^[7] Speedo's most recent technological advances are found in the Fastskin, Fastskin FS II series and the LZR Racer suit. Throughout the company's history, though, it seemed each design innovation was met with great controversy. Clare Dennis was nearly disqualified from her record-breaking Olympic meet because her suit showed too much skin;^[6] early Speedo bikinis were banned from some Australian beaches;^[7] more recently, the NASA technology in the LZR Racer suit Michael Phelps wore at the Beijing Olympics was the subject of great media scrutiny.

Fastskin[link]

In 2009, British designer and former competitive swimmer Fiona Fairhurst was named as a finalist for European Inventor of the Year.^[25] Fairhurst helped Speedo's Aqualab design team invent the first-of-its-kind Fastskin swimsuit. Inspired by the varying skin texture of a shark, Fairhurst told the BBC that she "was looking to develop a fabric that mimics nature".^[26] Both the Fastskin and Fastkskin FS II are textured with bumps and ridges in key places, similar to those on a shark's skin. These ridges serve to channel the water over the swimmers body in a more efficient manner than traditional material suits.^[27] In addition, the suits are custom designed for the type of stroke the swimmer will use as well as being engineered differently for women and for men. These high-tech suits make use of elastic compression materials to limit muscle oscillation and to compress the swimmer's body, while in other areas a more flexible fabric is used to allow greater range of motion. Leaving no detail overlooked, the design team also uses low-profile seams. According to author Frank Vizard, the Fastskin suits reduce drag by up to four percent.^[28] Speedo adapted this new fabric technology for the 2006 Winter Olympics.^[17] The full-bodied Fastskin FSII Ice suits were debuted by the silver medal winning American women's bobsled team.^[29]

By the time the lady bobsledders were given the opportunity to don their Fastskin suits, the line had already gone through several evolutions including the Fastskin FS-II and Fastskin FS-Pro. From the very beginning, these drag reducing suits were met with great resistance. At issue was Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) rule 10.7, which stated "No swimmer shall use any device that may aid his speed, buoyancy, or endurance during a competition (such as webbed gloves, flippers, fins etc). Goggles may be worn".^[30] Early in 2000, Speedo hand-delivered their new Fastskin suits to 150 Olympic hopefuls and promised 6,000 more would be made available for Olympic trials. Fearing the possibility of Speedo-clad race winners being stripped of medals due to challenges, the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) asked the Court of Arbitration for Sport to examine the legality of the FINA-sanctioned suits.^[31] In May that year, a CAS-appointed arbitrator backed the FINA ruling allowing use of the suits for Olympic tryouts. Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates, however, said in a press conference that their swimmers would be allowed to wear the futuristic neck to ankle covering suits, but would do so "at their own risk".^[32] Coates later stated that the ruling he sought was whether the suits should be classified as costumes or devices.^[32]

Professor Emeritus of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences at San Diego State University, Brent S. Rushall claimed in a report sent to CAS that the suits were — by FINA's definition and based on manufacturer's claims — in fact devices, rather than costumes^[33] and are therefore in violation of the FINA rule, which disallows equipment such as fins or flippers. In the report, Rushall equally criticizes Adidas (who had a similarly designed bodysuit) and Speedo for giving FINA members presents and declares that these members should recuse themselves from ruling on the legality of these suits.^[33]

Ultimately, the suits were approved for use in the Sydney Olympics and in December 2000 the super-suit earned a place on Popular Science's "100 Best of What's New", alongside the US Navy's F-16 replacement and Kodak's Smart Digital Picture Frame with built-in modem.^[34]

Four years later, the FSII debuted in the Atlanta summer games. While this next stage in swimwear evolution was quickly approved by FINA, it was not without controversy. Speedo competitor TYR developed a similar full body suit with detached sleeves, which the company calls Aqua Bands. Both TYR's detached Aqau bands and Speedo FSII's attached sleeves are designed to essentially "grip" the water on the inner forearm. TYR maintained that essentially the only difference between their suit and Speedo's was whether the sleeves were attached. Despite this, FINA did not approve TYR's armbands.^[35] In 2004, 47 medals were won by swimmers wearing Fastskin II^{[citation needed]}.

In late 2011, in time for the holiday season, Speedo introduced a new Fastskin3 suit. This suit comes in elite and super elite. Speedo makes a Fastskin3 "system" which consists of cap, googles and suit. Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps mainly showcase the Fastskin3 line. In succession to the LZR Pro and Elite, Speedo switched from "Fastskin LZR Racer" to "Fastskin". The suit comes in a normal waisted style and a high wasted style that utilizes the space in between the belly button and waist of the male swimmer. There advertising campaign boats that the suit lets you "become one" because of its unique system. The system brags about up to 16.6% drag reduction and up to 11% oxygen economy. It features "fit point markers" that let the swimmer line up where the suit,cap and goggles should fit. FINA approved this suit shortly after it was launched and is anticipated to be used at the London 2012 olympics.

LZR Racer[link]

Perhaps the company's most controversial move came with 2008's unveiling of the LZR (pronounced "lazer") Racer — a suit, as Speedo's website boasts, "so fast, it was banned from competition".^[36] Indeed the LZR Racer was banned by FINA in 2009, but not until swimmers wearing this suit had already broken at least 46 world records.^[37] The super smooth suit, which was optimized with the help of NASA wind tunnels, uses welded seams and multiple woven fabrics to reduce drag by up to six percent.^[27] In addition, the LZR, like the Fastskin, utilizes a core stabilizer, which acts almost as a girdle, to reduce muscle movement. This is designed to help the swimmer maintain the proper angle in the water for longer periods of time.^[27][37] Popular Science magazine named this suit to their "100 Best of What's New '08" list, calling it "The fastest swimsuit in the world".^[38]

FINA's ban on the LZR Racer and all "hi-tech" suits came shortly before Michael Phelps's 200 Meter Freestyle loss to Germany's Paul Biedermann at the 2009 FINA World Aquatics Championships in Rome, Italy. Wearing Arena's polyurethane X-Glide suit, Biedermann broke two world records that day^[39] and beat Phelps by more than one second.^[40] Even though FINA had already approved the ban, it had not been scheduled to go into effect until the following spring. The delay in FINA's hi-tech prohibition and Phelps's unexpected second place finish (his first loss since 2005) led Phelps's coach Bob Bowman to threaten a boycott of international swim competitions.^[41] In the first three days of the eight day competition, 15 world records were set.^[41]

The vague decision by swimming's governing body stated that suit materials would need to be textile, rather than polymer-based, but offered no specific deadline for this changeover to occur. ^[42] The reason for the delay, FINA executive director Cornel Marculescu told the AP, is to give manufacturers enough time "to pass from polyurethane to textiles".^[41] The ambiguity continued when FINA was unable to define textile.^[42] The most specific aspect of the ruling returned men to bare chests and ladies to bare shoulders.^[43] The current rule (GR 5.4), as posted on FINA's website, states "Before any swimwear of new design, construction or material is used in competition, the manufacturer of such swimwear must submit the swimwear to FINA and obtain approval of FINA".^[44]

Speedo's latest version of the LZR Racer series, the LZR Racer Elite, carries the FINA stamp of approval. The Elite series, like its predecessor utilizes welded seams and compression material to sculpt the swimmer's body.^[36] The SpeedoUSA website specifically denies the new generation of LZR Racers is a "quick fix".^[36] The most recent list of FINA approved swimsuits, which was published in January 2011 lists 78 specific Speedo brand swimsuits among 45 worldwide brands and nearly 720 models. Among them, 71 are Fastskin models and 13 are LZR series suits.^[30] Several Speedo designs have been removed from the FINA list including the original LZR Racer, and multiple Fastskin models.^[18]

Post-FINA Surplus[link]

FINA's ban on LZR Racers left Speedo with a significant surplus stock. The obsolete competition suits have found new life, though. London's Chelsea College of Art and Design received a donation of 600 suits,^[45] 200 of which were turned into the Chelsea Xpo Pavilion as part of the 2010 London Festival of Architecture project.^[46] The pavilion can be seen on the college's campus at the Rootstein Hopkins Parade Ground.^[47]

Another collaboration between Speedo and academia netted a line of designer fashions. Teams of students from the London College of Fashion, University College Falmouth and the University of Huddersfield have reused the material to create a complete fashion line including casual slacks, jackets, and even different forms of swimwear. Speedo International president David Robinson said in a press release "we are pleased to see this quality of talent emerging from the universities that have taken part. Speedo is committed to reducing its impact on the environment and as such it is good to see the Speedo LZR Racer live on in these innovative designs”.^[48]

This was not the company's first foray into recycled high fashion, though. In September 2010, award winning sustainable fashion label, From Somewhere announced a new line of dresses made from Speedo's surplus.^[49][50]

Sponsorships[link]

National Teams[link]

Speedo is the sponsor of several national swim teams.

Team	Nation	Expires	Ref
Swimming Australia	Australia	2011	[51]
Brazilian Aquatic Sports Confederation	Brazil	N/A	[52]
Swimming Canada	Canada	N/A	[53]
Diving Plongeon Canada	Canada	N/A	[54]
Synchro Canada	Canda	N/A	[55]
Canadian Water Polo Association	Canda	N/A	[56]
Colombian Federation of Swimming	Colombia	N/A	[57]
Finnish Swimming Association	Finland	N/A	[58]
Hong Kong Amateur Swimming Association	Hong Kong	N/A	[59]
Icelandic Swimming Association	Iceland	2012	[60]
Israel Swimming Association	Israel	N/A	[61]
Japan Swimming Federation	Japan	N/A	[62]
Mexican Swimming Federation	Mexico	N/A	[63]
Romanian Water Polo Association	Romania	N/A	[64]
Royal Spanish Swimming Federation	Spain	2014	[65]
British Swimming	United Kingdom	2016	[66]
USA Swimming	United States	N/A	[67]
US Masters Swimming	United States	N/A	[68]

Speedo also offers sponsorships to some High School and College (NCAA, NAIA, Junior College) Leagues as well as non-profit recreation leagues such as YMCA and Boys and Girls Clubs.^[69]

Sponsored Athletes[link]

In addition to team and league sponsorships, several celebrity athletes endorse Speedo products.^[70]

Name	Country	Discipline
Barratt, Bronte	Australia	Freestyle
Samulski, Daniela	Germany	Backstroke
Sullivan, Eamon	Australia	Freestyle
Fullerton, Ellen	Australia	Freestyle
Gilot, Fabien	France	Freestyle
Heemskerk, Femke	Netherlands	Freestyle
Magnini, Filippo	Italy	Freestyle
Ziegler, Kate	United States	Freestyle
Hoff, Katie	United States	Freestyle
Jones, Leisel	Australia	Breaststroke
Tancock, Liam	United Kingdom	Backstroke
Trickett, Libby	Australia	Butterfly
Veldhuis, Marleen	Netherlands	Freestyle
Phelps, Michael	United States	Butterfly
Coughlin, Natalie	United States	Backstroke
Vanderkaay, Peter	United States	Freestyle
Adlington, Rebecca	United Kingdom	Freestyle
Lochte, Ryan	United States	Backstroke
Park, Tae-Hwan	South Korea	Freestyle

See also[link]

	Swimming portal
	Companies portal
	Fashion portal
	Australia portal

• High-technology swimwear fabric
• List of generic and genericized trademarks
• List of swimwear brands
• TYR Sport, Inc. - Speedo's chief competitor in the performance swimwear market.
• Warnaco Group - Speedo's exclusive North American licensee

References[link]

External links[link]

Speedo International Limited
Speedo Online Store
Speedo Sea Squad Learn to Swim

Michael Phelps

180px Michael Phelps, April 2009
Personal information
Full name	Michael Fred Phelps[1]
Nickname(s)	MP; The Baltimore Bullet[2]; Flying Fish[3]
Nationality	USA
Born	(1985-06-30) June 30, 1985 (age 26)[4] Baltimore, Maryland
Height	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)[4]
Weight	185 lbs. 83.9 kg[5]
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Stroke(s)	Backstroke, butterfly, freestyle, individual medley
Club	North Baltimore Aquatic Club
Medal record Men's swimming Competitor for the  United States 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 100 m butterfly Gold 2008 Beijing 200 m butterfly Gold 2008 Beijing 200 m medley Gold 2008 Beijing 400 m medley Gold 2008 Beijing 200 m freestyle Gold 2008 Beijing 4×100 m freestyle Gold 2008 Beijing 4×200 m freestyle Gold 2008 Beijing 4×100 m medley Bronze 2004 Athens 200 m freestyle Bronze 2004 Athens 4×100 m freestyle World Championships – Long Course 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 – Short Course 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 4x100 m freestyle Gold 2010 Irvine 4x200 m freestyle Gold 2010 Irvine 4x100 m medley Silver 2002 Yokohama 200 m butterfly Silver 2002 Yokohama 4×200 m freestyle Silver 2006 Victoria 200 m backstroke

Michael Fred Phelps (born June 30, 1985) is an American swimmer who has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008, becoming the most successful athlete at both of these Olympic Games editions. In doing so he has twice equaled the record eight medals of any type at a single Olympics achieved by Soviet gymnast Alexander Dityatin at the 1980 Moscow Summer Games. His five gold medals in individual events tied the single Games record set by compatriot Eric Heiden in the 1980 Winter Olympics and equaled by Vitaly Scherbo at the 1992 Summer Games. Phelps holds the record for the most gold medals won in a single Olympics; his eight at the 2008 Beijing Games surpassed American swimmer Mark Spitz's seven-gold performance at Munich in 1972. Phelps' Olympic medal total is second only to the 18 Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina won over three Olympics, including nine gold. Phelps also holds the all-time record for most gold Olympic medals, at 14.

Phelps's international titles and record breaking performances have earned him the World Swimmer of the Year Award six times and American Swimmer of the Year Award eight times. He has won a total of sixty-six medals in major international competition, fifty-four gold, nine silver, and three bronze spanning the Olympics, the World, and the Pan Pacific Championships. His unprecedented Olympic success in 2008 earned Phelps Sports Illustrated magazine's Sportsman of the Year award.

After the 2008 Summer Olympics, Phelps started the Michael Phelps Foundation, which focuses on growing the sport of swimming and promoting healthier lifestyles. As a participant in the US Anti-Doping Agency's "Project Believe" program, Phelps is regularly tested to ensure that his system is clean of performance-enhancing drugs.

Early life[link]

Phelps was born and raised in the Rodgers Forge neighborhood of Towson, Maryland, a northwest suburb of Baltimore City.^[6] Michael was the youngest of three children. His mother, Deborah Sue "Debbie" (née Davisson), is a middle school principal.^[7] His father, Michael Fred Phelps, was a football player in high school and almost made the team for the Washington Redskins.^[7] His ancestry includes English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, and German.^[8]

Phelps began swimming at the age of seven, partly because of the influence of his sisters and partly to provide him with an outlet for his energy.^[9] When Phelps was in the sixth grade, he was diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).^[10][11] His parents divorced in 1994 and Michael and his sisters went to live with their mother. By the age of 10, he held a national record for his age group, and Phelps began to train at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club under coach Bob Bowman. More age group records followed, and Phelps' rapid improvement culminated in his qualifying for the 2000 Summer Olympics at the age of 15 and becoming the youngest male to make a U.S. Olympic swim team in 68 years.^[12] While he did not win a medal, he did make the finals and finished fifth in the 200-m butterfly.^[13]

At the World Championship Trials for the 2001 World Aquatics Championships, on 22 July, Phelps broke the world record in the 200-m butterfly to become, at 15 years and 9 months, the youngest man ever to set a swimming world record, breaking the record previously held by Ian Thorpe when he lowered the 400-m freestyle world record at 16 years, 10 months.^[14] At the World Championships in Fukuoka, Phelps broke his own world record in the 200-m butterfly en route to becoming a world champion for the first time.^[15]

2002 Pan Pacific Championships[link]

Pan Pacific medal record
2002 Yokohama – Men's swimming
Competitor for the  United States
Gold	200 m individual medley	1:59.70
Gold	400 m individual medley	4:12.48
Gold	4 × 100 m medley relay	3:33.48 (WR)
Silver	200 m butterfly	1.55.41
Silver	4×200 m freestyle relay	7:11.81

At Nationals, the selection meet for the 2002 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, in Fort Lauderdale, Phelps set an American record in the 200-m individual medley and was just off the world record in the 200-m butterfly.^[16] In the 400-m individual medley, Phelps bettered the world record held by Tom Dolan with a time of 4:11.09, just ahead of Erik Vendt, who finished second with a time of 4:11.27, also below the old world record. In the 200-m freestyle, Phelps was barely beaten by Klete Keller and in the 100 m butterfly, Phelps beat Ian Crocker.^[17]

At the 2002 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Yokohama, Phelps won three gold medals and two silvers. In his first event, the 400-m individual medley, Phelps won gold ahead of Erik Vent with a time of 4:12.48. In the 200-m butterfly, Phelps lost to Tom Malchow, finishing behind him 1:55.41 to 1:55.21. Phelps said he lost because he did not take butterfly training seriously after he broke the world record. In the 200-m individual medley, Phelps won with a time of 1:59.70. In the 4×200-m freestyle relay, Phelps, along with Nate Dusing, Klete Keller, and Chad Carvin, won the silver medal with a time 7:11.81 finishing behind Australia. The U.S. 4×100-m medley relay team consisted of Aaron Peirsol, Brendan Hansen, Phelps, and Ian Crocker. In the final for the medley relay, Phelps swam a 51.1 split, at the time the fastest split in history. The final time of 3:33.48 was a world record.^[18]

2003 World Championships[link]

At Nationals, Phelps won the 200-m freestyle, 200-m backstroke, and the 100-m butterfly.^[19] He became the first American swimmer to win three different races in three different strokes at a national championship.^[19] At the 2003 Duel in the Pool, a meet that pits swimming stars from Australia and the United States, Phelps broke the world record in the 400-m individual medley with a time of 4:10.73 and almost broke the world record in the 100-m butterfly, just missing the record by 0.03 seconds.^[20] At a meet in Santa Clara, Phelps broke the world record in the 200-m individual medley with a time of 1:57.94.^[21] Phelps said he broke the 200-m individual medley world record after Don Talbot said Phelps was unproven, using his words as motivation.^[22]

At the 2003 World Aquatics Championships, Phelps won four gold medals, two silver medals, and broke five world records.^[23] Phelps broke his first world record on July 22 in the semi-finals for the 200-m butterfly. Phelps swam a 1:53.93 to break his own world record of 1:54.58 set in 2001 and became the first man to swim under 1:54.00.^[24] In the final of the 200-m butterfly, on July 23, Phelps easily won the gold medal, but did not come close to his world record with a time of 1:54.35.^[25] Less than an hour later, Phelps swam the lead-off leg for the 4×200-m freestyle relay. Phelps put up a solid time of 1:46.60 (an American record) but the Americans could not match the depth of the Australians and ultimately finished second 7:10.26 to 7:08.58.^[26] In the 200-m individual medley, Phelps showed complete dominance. On July 24, in the semifinals of the 200-m IM, Phelps broke his own world record with a time of 1:57.52.^[27] On July 25, in the final of the 200-m IM, Phelps smashed his own record with a time of 1:56.04 to win the gold medal and finished almost 3 seconds ahead of Ian Thorpe.^[28] About an hour before the final of the 200-m IM, Phelps swam in the semifinals of the 100-m butterfly. Phelps again showed dominance, finishing in the top seed with a world record time of 51.47.^[29] However, in the final of the 100-m butterfly, on July 26, Ian Crocker erased Phelps' world record with a time of 50.98, to become the first man under 51 seconds. Phelps swam a 51.10 (also under his former world record), but had to settle for silver.^[30] In the final of the 400-m individual medley, on July 27, Phelps broke his own world record with a time of 4:09.09 to easily claim the gold medal.^[31] About half an hour later, Phelps earned his final gold medal when the United States team won the 4×100-m medley relay.^[32] Phelps did not swim in the finals, but still earned a medal because he swam in the heats.^[33]

2004 Summer Olympics[link]

Trials[link]

At the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Phelps competed in six events, including the 200- and 400-m IM, the 100- and 200-m butterfly, the 200-m freestyle, and the 200-m backstroke.^[34] In his first event, the 400-m individual medley, Phelps easily won with a world record time of 4:08.41.^[35] Two days later, in the 200-m freestyle, Phelps won with a time of 1:46.27, finishing sixth-tenths of a second ahead of Klete Keller.^[36] Phelps, however, was not pleased with the result and wanted to be in the 1:45s and was uncertain if he would swim the event in Athens.^[37] The following day, Phelps won in the 200-m butterfly with a time of 1:54.31, three seconds ahead of second place finisher Tom Malchow.^[38] After two days off, Phelps was back in the pool and finished second to Aaron Peirsol in the 200-m backstroke.^[39] Less than half an hour later, Phelps won the 200 m individual medley title ahead of Ryan Lochte by 2.70 seconds.^[40][41] The following day, Phelps finished second to Ian Crocker in the 100 m butterfly. Crocker won in a time of 50.76, a world record and 0.39 seconds ahead of Phelps.^[42] When the Trials were over, Phelps became the first person to qualify in six individual events for a U.S. Olympic team.^[43] However, Phelps dropped the 200-m backstroke to focus on the 200-m freestyle because he wanted to race Ian Thorpe.^[43] Even though Phelps didn't compete in the 100-m freestyle at the Trials, he was still selected for the 4×10-m freestyle relay. Gary Hall, Jr. thought this was unfair and said Phelps did not deserve a spot on the relay. Phelps argued his program was too crowded to compete in 100-m freestyle and was at least among the top four swimmers because he had beaten the top-seeded Jason Lezak the last time he had swum against him.^[44]

Olympics[link]

In his first event, the 400-m individual medley, Phelps won with a world record time of 4:08.26 to win his first Olympic gold medal.^[45][46] The following day, in the 4×100-m freestyle relay, Phelps, along with Ian Crocker, Neil Walker, and Jason Lezak, finished in third place with a time of 3:14.62.^[47][48] Crocker's lead-off time of 50.05 was the worst among the field and was blamed on sickness.^[49][50] In the event many were calling The Race of the Century, held the following day, Phelps finished in third place behind Ian Thorpe and Pieter van den Hoogenband in the 200-m freestyle.^[51][52] Although this race ended the chance to match Spitz's record, Phelps had savored the challenge even though it was not his strongest event, saying "How can I be disappointed? I swam in a field with the two fastest freestylers of all time".^[53] In his fourth event, the 200-m butterfly, held the following day, Phelps finished first with a time of 1:54.04, breaking Tom Malchow's Olympic record.^[54][55] About an hour later, in the 4×200-m freestyle relay, Phelps, along with Ryan Lochte, Peter Vanderkaay, and Klete Keller, finished in first place with a time of 7:07.33.^[56] Two days later, in the 200-m individual medley, Phelps finished first with a time of 1:57.14, an Olympic record.^[57] In the 100-m butterfly final, held the following day, Phelps defeated American teammate Ian Crocker (who held the world record in the event at the time) by just 0.04 seconds with a time of 51.25.^[58][59] Traditionally, the Olympian who places highest in an individual event will be automatically given the corresponding leg of the 4×100 m medley relay. This gave Phelps an automatic entry into the medley relay, but he deferred and Crocker swam instead.^[59][60] Phelps' gesture gave Crocker a chance to make amends as well getting his final shot at a gold medal.^[60] The American medley team went on to win the event in world-record time, and, since Phelps had raced in a preliminary heat of the medley relay, he was also awarded a gold medal along with the team members who competed in the final.^[61][62] In winning six gold and two bronze medals, Phelps, still a teenager, had the second-best performance ever at a single Olympics, behind Mark Spitz's seven gold medals in Munich in 1972. Also, he became the second male swimmer ever to win more than two individual titles at a single Games with four, tying Spitz's four from 1972.