Our Michael Phelps Biography tells you facts about his Childhood Story, Early Life, Parents – Michael Fred Phelps (Father), Deborah Sue Phelps (Mother), Family, Wife (Nicole Johnson).
Again, this article provides facts about the Legendary Swimmers’ Sisters (Whitney and Hilary), his Personal Life, Lifestyle, Salary, and net worth.
To make short our Biography, we present you an overall picture of the Life history of Michael Phelps, an American former competitive swimmer.
Our story begins from his cradle times until he becomes a force to reckon in the world of athletics.
To sharpen your love for our Biography, we present a gallery pathway of events surrounding Michael Phelps’s life history. Undoubtedly, the pictures you see below summarise the athlete’s life history.
Yes, he is known principally as the most decorated Olympian of all time. He has 28 Olympic medals, 23 of them gold, spanning over four Olympic Games.
Despite his accolades, only a few Sports lovers have read a concise piece of Michael Phelps’s Biography.
Therefore, we have deemed it perfect to serve you the thrilling Biography of Michael Phelps. Also, the breakdown of his athletic experience so far. Now, without delay, let us begin.
Michael Phelps Childhood Story:
For Biography starters, Michael Fred Phelps II arrived on the earth on a beautiful Sunday on the 30th day of June 1985. He was born to Deborah Sue “Debbie” Phelps (nee Davisson) and his father, Michael Fred Phelps.
Our American profile was birth in the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, known as Baltimore.
Again, Michael Phelps was born among his two sisters (Whitney and Hilary). They were all taken from the union of their father, Michael Fred Phelps and mother, Deborah Sue Phelps, whose photos are displayed below.
Early Life and Growing-up years:
Michael Phelps’s parents brought him up in the Rodgers Forge neighbourhood of nearby Towson. The area is southwest of the county seat of Baltimore County, Maryland. However, his parents divorced in 1994 when he was nine years old.
So, his father remarried in 2000. Phelps later explained that the divorce had a negative impact on him and his siblings.
As such, his relationship with his dad was distant for a few years after the divorce. Aside from all that, Phelps began swimming at seven.
Michael Phelps grew on the pool deck. He swam early, partly because of the influence of his sisters. Because he swam since he could walk.
So, he was at swimming meetings all the time. The sport was an outlet for his energy. He grew into it.
Phelps stated that the only reason he ever got in the water was his mum. She wanted him to learn how to swim.
Nonetheless, his sisters and he fell in love with the activity and swam. Unfortunately, he got diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Michael Phelps was in the sixth grade during the diagnosis. By 10, he achieved a national mark for his age group (in the 100-meter butterfly).
So, he trained at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club under coach Bob Bowman. More age group achievements followed, and as of the 21st day of August 2018, Phelps still held 11 age group records, eight in the long course and three in the short period.
Michael Phelps Family Background:
The Phelps household were not millionaires. However, they could comfortably provide for their individual needs. Michael Phelps’s dad, Michael Fred Phelps, is a retired Maryland State Trooper.
Meanwhile, his mum, Deborah Sue “Debbie” Phelps, is a middle school principal. So they were a middle-class but hard-working family.
Michael Phelps Family Origin:
Debbie Phelps, Michael’s mum, grew up in Westernport. Westernport is a suburb in Allegany County, Maryland, U.S., along the Georges Creek Valley. Meanwhile, Fred Phelps, his father, grew up a mile away in Luke.
The two places are in Piedmont, across the Potomac in West Virginia, US. Michael Phelps’ parents were both from Allegany County in the western part of Maryland.
Conversely, Phelps is an English surname. The name originated as a patronymic form of the name Philip. They derived Philip from the Greek word Philippos, composed of two elements: the first, philein, “to love”; the second, hippos, “horse”.
We found the Dictionary of American Family Names states that the surname Phelps is in the southwestern part of England. Nonetheless, Michael Phelps was born in Mayland’s most populous city, Baltimore, US. The photo below describes Michael Phelps’s family roots.
However, Phelps is of Mixed ethnicity. He has English, German, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh descent. His mixed race is probably from his maternal and paternal great-grand relations.
Haven said all that; Michael Phelps is a native of Baltimore, Maryland. A pictorial representation of Michael Phelps’s family’s root is below.
Michael Phelps Early Career:
Phelps got raised in a family that enjoys water sports. Michael joined the prestigious North Baltimore Aquatic Club at age seven. Moreover, he became so good in the water sport quickly. Micheal finished fifth in the 200-metre butterfly at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.
In 2001, at the U.S. spring nationals, Michael Phelps emerged the youngest world holder in the men’s race at 15. He achieved 1 min 54.92 sec in the 200-metre butterfly.
Later that year, he went to win his first international title in Fukuoka, Japan, at the world championships.
He claimed 5 medals at the Pan Pacific championships in 2002, including 3 gold (200-metre and 400-metre individual medley and four × 100-metre medley relay).
Again, in 2003 at the U.S. spring nationals, he became the first male to win titles in three different strokes singly at a national championship.
Additionally, he later broke five individual world records at the Barcelona world championships in Spain.
He moreover captured five titles at the U.S. summer nationals. Michael bagged the most won by a male at a single event.
Michael Phelps Educational Background:
The former competitive swimmer attended three schools. He first went to Rodgers Forge Elementary, then Dumbarton Middle School. His high school took place in Towson High School. The three schools were part of the Baltimore County Public Schools system.
Michael Phelps graduated from Towson High School in 2003. However, he delayed college plans to concentrate on training for the 2004 Olympics. But then, in April 2004, Bowman became head coach at the University of Michigan.
Phelps began taking classes while training under Bowman. Though he did not pursue a formal degree, he studied sports marketing and management. Phelps again served as an assistant volunteer coach.
Michael Phelps Biography – Road to Fame:
Phelps took part in the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece in 2004. He bagged six gold medals and two bronze medals. Some event was for individual races while some were for relay races. Again, the Champ swam in the relay races with the team.
At the Games in Beijing, China in 2008, Phelps wanted to break a record set by Mark Spitz in the 1972 Olympic Games. Spitz won seven gold medals that year. Behold, Phelps broke that mark by bagging eight gold medals.
Michael Phelps, in addition, broke the 200m Freestyle World Record at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. See clip below.
The games were the 400-meter individual medley, the four × 100-meter freestyle relay. Moreover, the 200-meter freestyle, the 200-meter butterfly. Again, the four × 200-meter freestyle relay, the 200-meter individual medley, the 100-meter butterfly.
Finally, in addition, the four × 100-meter medley relay. Michael Phelps set world standards in all but one (the 100-meter butterfly) of his gold-medal-winning events.
Michael Phelps Biography – Rise to Fame:
At the Olympics in London, England in 2012, Phelps emerged as the first male to win the same event at three consecutive Olympics.
Phelps did that for two races, the 200-meter individual medley, then the 100-meter butterfly. Despite that, he captured six more medals, including a gold medal in his last event, the four × 100-meter medley relay.
Michael announced he was retiring after the 2012 Olympics, but he returned to competition in 2014. He was an American flag-bearer at the opening ceremonies of the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games in 2016.
The game was his fifth Game setting a standard for an American male swimmer. It was his last appearance in the Olympics. See clips below.
There Phelps added to his medal count by winning golds in the 200-metre I.M., four × 100-metre medley relay, four × 100-metre freestyle relay, and four × 200-metre freestyle relay and a silver in the 100-metre butterfly.
It was his gold in signature event, the 200-metre butterfly that captured the most international attention.
Michael Phelps won five more gold medals and one silver to become the most decorated athlete in Olympic history. Having completed his dominant comeback at the 2016 Games, Phelps again retired from competitive swimming.
Michael Phelps Dating History:
The young chap has had his times concerning his relationships. His first date was Stephanie Rice, an Australian Swimmer, in 2008. However, the relationship was short-lived. It led him into so many other affairs. His other dates include Caroline Pal that ended in 2009.
In 2010, Brittny Gastineau, an American Socialite, was on the scene. Then he met Carrie Prejean, an American Model. Perhaps still not satisfied, he moved on with an American Model, Megan Rossee, in 2012.
Again short-lived, Michael Phelps unrelenting met an American T.V. Personality, Win McMurry, in 2013. Yet again, the ship crashed but to usher in Nicole Johnson, whom he met in 2014.
More about Nicole Johnson:
Nicole Michele Johnson Phelps is an American model and beauty queen. She was Miss California USA in 2010 and competed in the Miss USA pageant. Nicole was born on the 12th day of July 1985.
Johnson is the daughter of Annette, a science teacher. Her dad, Richard, is a pharmaceutical sales manager. She was born in Colorado but spent her early childhood in Pennsylvania. Before, the family moved to Westlake Village, California.
She graduated in 2003 from Westlake High School. In 2007, Johnson graduated with honours from the University of Southern California. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, concentrating on sports and entertainment.
Nicole Michele Johnson became engaged to Michael Phelps in February 2015. The duo first met at the ESPY Awards in 2007. They started dating in 2009 but temporarily broke up before the 2012 Summer Olympics before reuniting in 2014.
Michael Phelps and Nicole Johnson’s marriage has with it, three kids. The wedding took place privately in June 2016, after the birth of their first child.
Their son, Boomer Robert Phelps, was born on the 5th day of May 2016. Then the second son, Beckett Richard Phelps, in February 2018. The third son, Maverick, was born in September 2019.
Michael Phelps Family Facts:
Phelps acknowledges his parents passed on good genes. His parents have a serious work ethic. Despite his parents’ separation, a cordial relationship exists among them. Michael Phelps has enjoyed tremendous support from his family.
They’ve been switching up the running routes together and cross-training in the pool, which keeps things interesting. Michael Phelps’ Biography would be incomplete without them. Here’s a look at the lives of each member of his household.
About Michael Phelps Father – Michael Fred Phelps II:
Micheal’s dad, Fred, is rarely seen in the public eye. He has not gotten involved in his son’s life and career for a while. Michael and Fred haven’t always had the father/son bond. Michael Fred Phelps II got married to Micheal’s mum in 1973.
The Olympian’s parents were high school sweethearts but then split in 1994. Fred spent 28 years as a Maryland State Trooper before retiring from that position in 2003. He now works in commercial vehicle enforcement.
Despite years without communicating, the two found their way back to one another. In 2014, he invited his dad to family week, where the two hugged and had quite the moment.
About Michael Phelps Mother – Deborah Sue “Debbie” Phelps:
Micheal’s mother, Deborah, is probably one of the most iconic mums. From high school meetings to pace-setting Olympic performances. She was there through it all. Debbie supported Phelps when he wanted to watch race footage during dinner.
Later on, she would encourage him to learn from his mistakes. She has been a single mother since her divorce from Michael Fred Phelps II. Her success in bringing up her children alone is an inspiration to many.
Deborah Phelps is the principal of Baltimore’s Windsor Mill Middle School. She has been an award-winning educator for nearly three decades. Her training as an educator helped her help her son, Michael, with his attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Michael Phelps Siblings:
Phelps Always Looked Up to His Sisters & Remains close to them. They did a lot of looking over Michael, too. Indeed, as far as swimming goes, Michael knew nothing other than being intensely focused on the sport.
If his sisters were lazy, maybe he wouldn’t be doing what he’s doing. But he knew no other way to do it. All three siblings have been equally supportive through the years, both in and out of the water. See more about their lives below.
About Michael Phelps Sister – Hilary Phelps Eldridge:
Hilary Phelps has worked in public relations and the media since 2002. She founded her own media company, G.J. Media Group, in 2013. The company name stands for “Genuine Joy.” She lives in Washington, D.C.
They help people and companies with branding. Moreso with creating strategies for traditional and nontraditional media. Before starting her own company, Eldridge worked as a public relations and marketing consultant for SDS/Prime Group from 2002 to 2005.
Subsequently, she worked as Membership Services and Event Coordinator. From 2009 to 2016, she was a fulfilment coordinator for the Michael Phelps School. At that time, she assisted the Michael Phelps Foundation in striking a partnership.
The partnership was with the Boys & Girls Club of America. In conjunction with Special Olympics International. Hilary Phelps Eldridge likewise swam in college with a four-year scholarship.
Hilary Phelps is married to Doug Eldridge, a managing partner at DLE Agency. She attended the University of Richmond. Hilary earned a Sociology, Criminal Science degree. She similarly broke four school records, including one in the 200m butterfly.
About Michael Phelps Sister – Whitney Phelps Flickinger:
Michael Phelps and Hilary Phelps Eldridge aren’t the only swimmers in the family who excel in the 200-meter butterfly. Whitney Phelps Flickinger was a fantastic swimmer during her time at the University of Nevada–Las Vegas.
Whitney Flickinger Swam in College. She excelled at the 200-Meter Butterfly. Flickinger once set the American record in women’s 200m fly with 1:59.01. They likewise named her UNLV Rookie of the Year during her freshman season.
At 14, Eldridge emerged the national champion in the 200m butterfly. Flickinger tried out for the Olympic team in 1996 and 2000. Though she didn’t make it. Meanwhile, her brother made the 2000 team when he was only 15 years old.
Conversely, she is not just into the water sport. Whitney similarly ran in the 2012 ING New York City Marathon, with her brother watching on the sidelines. Hilary again took part in the 5K. Whitney equally ran the 2009 marathon.
Flickinger is now an H.R. Specialist and recruiter at MarGenics, Inc. in Rockville, Maryland. She similarly served as a recruiter at The Henry M. Jackson Foundation (not related to Michael Jackson) for the Advancement of Military Medicine from 2010 to 2016. Besides, she is married with kids.
About Michael Phelps Relatives:
The trailblazing Olympian has relatives. Aside from his father, mother, and sisters. Michael Phelps has a few extended family members. He has uncles, aunts, nephews, brothers-in-law and grandparents.
As such, Michael Phelps has relatives and shares ample time with them. Well, of note are his in-laws (Doug Eldridge and Flickinger). He besides has stepbrothers, namely Shane Lee (a Cricketer) and Grant Lee.
Personal Life away from Swimming:
We know Phelps for his perseverance and concentration in the pool. He swims twenty thousand meters on some days. Phelps likes to train. He’s never satisfied. The champ is a regular guy to hang out with outside the pool.
Again, Phelps likes to tease and fool around with others on the team, which is natural in this atmosphere. In his spare time, Phelps likes to play video games.
He makes appearances for Speedo. Phelps, besides, serves as the national spokesperson for the Boys & Girls Club of America.
Later in life, he has said, he would like to have a career in sports marketing. He reports he hoped his success as a champion athlete would boost the sport’s profile.
One of his massive goals is to improve his knowledge of the game. Few people know about swimming. He aims at taking the activity to a new level, just like football or basketball. Furthermore, Michael Phelps takes advantage of social media.
The platform helps him to bridge the gap with his fans. Moreso, he shares photos from his training, snippets of his engagements and upcoming updates. Phelps is active on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. We can reach him via his website.
Michael Phelps Lifestyle:
So far, the water sports champion has also enjoyed the fruits of his labor. During his past times, his mum allows him to buy something with his winnings. She will enable him every time he sets a new world record. One treat was a 47-inch television for his bedroom.
Another time, he installed new subwoofer speakers in the Escalade to create a better bass sound for his favorite rap songs. However, later on, Michael Phelps purchased a Cadillac Escalade sport utility vehicle.
He bought the car with the $25,000 bonus he earned from the U.S. Swimming Federation when he began breaking world records in 2003. His other cars include Mercedes-Benz SL63, BMW 760 Li, Aventador Roadster, and Range Rover.
Phelps resold a home in 2018, which he had bought in Paradise Valley, Arizona, in 2015 for an estimated profit of US$1 million. Phelps sold a Baltimore townhouse for US$916,000 in 2016. He replaced it with another property, also in Paradise Valley.
Olympic legend Michael Phelps is living in luxury. In December, the winnings athlete in the history of the Games purchased a $2.53 million home in Paradise Valley, Arizona, near his training base for Rio de Janeiro.
Salary and Net Worth:
With 28 medals, of which 23 of them being gold, as of 2021, Celebrity Net Worth estimates his net worth at $80 million. Similarly, Phelps earns $9,300,000 annually. He is the wealthiest Olympian alive, topping men like Usain Bolt and Roger Federer.
Most of these earnings are from his endorsements and sponsorship deals. He has also made money as an author and in on-screen appearances.
Endorsements and sponsorships:
Phelps made many endorsements deals with brands, with some big names, including Visa, Kellogg’s, Colgate, Omega, and Subway. In 2008, Phelps earned a $1 million bonus from Speedo after taking eight gold medals from the Beijing Olympics.
Besides, the brand had been his sponsor since 2001. According to an article by L.A. Times, Phelps’ contract with Speedo ended in 2013. Another of Phelps’s huge sponsors is Under Armour. However, the exact size of the deal is undisclosed.
A report by The Street suggests Phelps earned $5 million from the endorsement. Venturing outside his niche, Phelps also appeared in luxury brand Louis Vuitton’s core campaign Beyond The Limits in 2012.
Moreso, according to The Street, they estimated Phelps earns at least $75 million. The netting is thanks to the sponsorship and advertising deals he took on over the years.
Michael Phelps Untold Facts:
Besides the details above, below are a few impressive facts that would tickle your fancy about the Olympics Gold Medalist Michael Phelps Biography.
Uses rap songs to focus:
Michael Phelps makes training fun. Rap music helps Phelps focus on his goals. Before every meeting, he swims his warmup laps. He then changes into a new suit and puts his headphones on before the race starts.
He likes Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, and Eminem. In addition, He also listens to music every day while he drives to practice.
Controversies:
At the age of 19, in November 2004, they arrested him in Salisbury, Maryland. He was driving under the influence of alcohol. Michael Phelps got fined $250 and sentenced to serve 18 months probation.
Michael Phelps, The Greatest Olympian Ever, moreover Smokes Pot And Drinks Booze. In 2009, we found his photograph using a water pipe (a smoking device) on the net. Yet again, he got arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol in September 2014.
Charity:
Phelps is a generous man in giving back to society. In 2008, after the Olympics in Beijing, Phelps used his $1 million Speedo endorsement bonus to find the Michael Phelps Foundation. The foundation seeks to grow the water sport while promoting healthy lifestyles.
Besides two years later, the foundation, along with the Michael Phelps Swim School and KidsHealth.org, created the ‘im’ program for Boys & Girls Club members to promote healthy lives among children through the practice of swimming.
Michael Phelps Biography Summary:
To win gold at an Olympics is incredibly difficult. To win 23!!! It speaks for itself, but people rarely realize that he had a target on his back every time Phelps swam. Every race was against the best.
No opponent swam as many events as he, including the 400 IM, the most challenging swimming event. Michael Phelps was built to be a swimmer.
Many of his rivals only swam two events at most in Beijing. Meanwhile, Phelps swam eight. Most events have prelims, semis, and finals. That’s a lot of racing. And finally, he maintained his dominance over 16 years.
For us, he is the most outstanding athlete, Olympic or otherwise, of all time. To get a glance, use the table below to discover concise information about our American former competitive swimmer Biography.
| Biography Inquiries: | Wiki Answers |
|---|---|
| Full Name: | Michael Fred Phelps II |
| Nickname: | "The Baltimore Bullet" and "Flying Fish" |
| Date of Birth: | 1st Day of July 1989 |
| Place of Birth: | Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Profession: | Former competitive swimmer. |
| Strokes: | Butterfly, individual medley, freestyle, backstroke |
| Club: | North Baltimore Aquatic Club |
| Coach: | Bob Bowman |
| Education: | Rodgers Forge Elementary, Dumbarton Middle School, and Towson High School. |
| Father: | Michael Fred Phelps |
| Mother: | Deborah Sue "Debbie" Phelps (née Davisson) |
| Brother: | Shane Lee (Cricketer), Grant Lee |
| Sisters: | Whitney Phelps (swimmer), Hilary Phelps |
| Relatives: | Bernard Jesse Davisson (Maternal Grandfather),John William Phelps (Paternal Grandfather), Leoma/Leona Mae Foote (Maternal Grandmother)Roberta Marie Myers (Paternal Grandmother) |
| Spouse: | Nicole Johnson (m. 2016), |
| Son (s): | Boomer Robert (2016), Beckett Richard (2018) and Maverick (2019) |
| Sun Sign (Zodiac): | Cancer |
| Hobbies: | Music, Video Games |
| Height: | 6 ft 4 In (1.93m) |
| Weight: | 88 Kg (194 lbs) |
| Net Worth: | $80 million |
| Salary: | $9.3 million |
| Religion: | Christianity |
| Ethnicity/Race: | Mixed (English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh and German) |
| Nationality: | American |
| Social Media: | michaelphelps (facebook), MichaelPhelps (twitter), m_phelps00 (instagram). |
| Website: | us.michaelphelps.com |
EndNote:
Michael Phelps is an athlete who has brought worldwide attention to water sports.
He gained particular attention when he emerged as the winner of a set number of gold medals at the Olympics in 2008. Phelps added to his total at the Olympics in 2012 and 2016.
Moreover, at the end of the 2016 games, he earned 28 medals, including a mark of 23 gold. We hope you learned a few lessons in wrapping off Michael Phelps’s Biography and Childhood Life Story.
Despite his impressive career trajectory, he has maintained a sense of Focus par excellence. He has followed through with that standard of excellence via his hard work.
Phelps continues to do so via his training. Well, thanks, too for the full support from his family, especially his mum.
Michael Phelps could learn in no time what would take others a long while. We appreciate that you have found Michael Phelps’ Biography appealing.
Kindly stay tuned for more biography facts of Public Figures. Surely, the Life History of Sophie Gregoire Trudeau and Simone Biles will excite you. Let’s not forget American swimmer Caeleb Dressel.
Cole Xavier
Hi there! I'm Cole Xavier, a writer and storyteller with a passion for exploring the lives of famous people through their childhood memories. With a warm and friendly writing style, I hope to engage readers and spark their curiosity about the lives of the famous people they admire.
