WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.700 Welcome to the Deep Dive. Today, we are taking 00:00:02.700 --> 00:00:05.240 on a titan, someone whose shadow just stretches 00:00:05.240 --> 00:00:07.980 across all of sports history. A huge one. We've 00:00:07.980 --> 00:00:10.539 got a massive single source, the career of one 00:00:10.539 --> 00:00:13.220 Michael Phelps. And our mission is, I think, 00:00:13.240 --> 00:00:17.179 pretty clear, to move beyond the staggering statistics 00:00:17.179 --> 00:00:20.539 and extract the essential, you know, the human 00:00:20.539 --> 00:00:23.960 story. How does one athlete maintain that kind 00:00:23.960 --> 00:00:27.260 of dominance? for over a decade and really transcend 00:00:27.260 --> 00:00:30.199 his sport. Well, the statistics are the headline. 00:00:30.300 --> 00:00:31.839 You can't ignore them. We're talking about 28 00:00:31.839 --> 00:00:34.640 Olympic medals, 23 of them gold. It's just an 00:00:34.640 --> 00:00:37.259 absurd number. It is. But that number, it's a 00:00:37.259 --> 00:00:39.700 historical marker. It's not the story. So today 00:00:39.700 --> 00:00:42.140 we're charting a journey across five Olympic 00:00:42.140 --> 00:00:45.479 cycles that requires this unparalleled physical 00:00:45.479 --> 00:00:47.939 dedication, but also navigating these really 00:00:47.939 --> 00:00:51.020 intense internal battles, fierce rivalries, and 00:00:51.020 --> 00:00:53.479 ultimately finding profound personal growth after 00:00:53.479 --> 00:00:56.759 hitting rock bottom. This is the story of sustained, 00:00:57.060 --> 00:00:59.299 relentless excellence. Absolutely. The number 00:00:59.299 --> 00:01:01.719 28 is almost abstract, isn't it? It's more than 00:01:01.719 --> 00:01:04.189 twice the medal count. of the next closest swimmer. 00:01:04.209 --> 00:01:06.290 I mean, that level of consistency is the core 00:01:06.290 --> 00:01:08.150 mystery we're trying to unlock today. Right. 00:01:08.530 --> 00:01:10.950 And while he is, of course, universally recognized 00:01:10.950 --> 00:01:13.810 as the most decorated Olympian of all time, the 00:01:13.810 --> 00:01:17.569 names that stuck to him are so evocative. The 00:01:17.569 --> 00:01:20.129 Baltimore Bullet. And the Flying Fish. Yeah. 00:01:20.189 --> 00:01:22.730 And those nicknames, they point to his style, 00:01:22.829 --> 00:01:25.250 right? The speed and that fluid, almost aquatic 00:01:25.250 --> 00:01:28.230 movement. Exactly. And the primary records that 00:01:28.230 --> 00:01:30.569 cement his untouchable legacy, we have to state 00:01:30.569 --> 00:01:33.450 them up front. He is the all -time leader in 00:01:33.450 --> 00:01:36.430 Olympic gold medals. That's 23. The leader in 00:01:36.430 --> 00:01:40.010 individual Olympic gold medals, 13. And the leader 00:01:40.010 --> 00:01:42.989 in individual Olympic medals overall, 16. That 00:01:42.989 --> 00:01:45.969 13 individual gold count? Yeah. That's the one 00:01:45.969 --> 00:01:48.609 that connects him to ancient history. It is, 00:01:48.670 --> 00:01:51.030 but we'll dive into that detail a little later. 00:01:51.109 --> 00:01:52.790 Let's unpack this. We're starting the journey 00:01:52.790 --> 00:01:55.280 right at the beginning. In Baltimore, where this 00:01:55.280 --> 00:01:57.859 combination of innate talent and a need for structure 00:01:57.859 --> 00:02:00.719 first kind of collided. So Michael Phelps, born 00:02:00.719 --> 00:02:03.900 June 30, 1985, in Baltimore, Maryland. He was 00:02:03.900 --> 00:02:05.459 the youngest of three kids. He had two older 00:02:05.459 --> 00:02:07.799 sisters, Hillary and Whitney, and they're both 00:02:07.799 --> 00:02:09.819 competitive swimmers. His mother was a middle 00:02:09.819 --> 00:02:12.159 school principal, which I think says a lot in 00:02:12.159 --> 00:02:14.180 selling that sense of discipline. And his father 00:02:14.180 --> 00:02:17.120 was a retired Maryland state trooper. So when 00:02:17.120 --> 00:02:19.340 he first got into the pool, was it about this 00:02:19.340 --> 00:02:22.460 dream of Olympic glory or was it something much 00:02:22.460 --> 00:02:25.949 more? practical oh it was pure utility especially 00:02:25.949 --> 00:02:27.889 when you consider his later struggles he started 00:02:27.889 --> 00:02:30.750 swimming at age seven and yeah partly he was 00:02:30.750 --> 00:02:32.810 following his sisters into the pool but the critical 00:02:32.810 --> 00:02:36.449 factor was just the need for an outlet for his 00:02:36.449 --> 00:02:38.449 immense energy. He had trouble sitting still. 00:02:38.689 --> 00:02:40.969 Swimming became this structured environment, 00:02:41.169 --> 00:02:43.370 like a liquid cage, if you will, to burn off 00:02:43.370 --> 00:02:45.189 energy that was otherwise really disruptive. 00:02:45.490 --> 00:02:48.250 And that need for an outlet, both emotional and 00:02:48.250 --> 00:02:50.849 physical, it was compounded by some really foundational 00:02:50.849 --> 00:02:53.469 emotional struggles early on, wasn't it? That's 00:02:53.469 --> 00:02:55.889 exactly right. The source really highlights a 00:02:55.889 --> 00:02:58.629 pivotal personal challenge. His parents divorced 00:02:58.629 --> 00:03:02.370 in 1994. Michael was nine years old. And he later 00:03:02.370 --> 00:03:04.229 revealed that this event had a, and I'm quoting 00:03:04.229 --> 00:03:06.919 him, severe... negative impact on him and his 00:03:06.919 --> 00:03:09.919 siblings. Yeah. And that period right after the 00:03:09.919 --> 00:03:12.379 split, it was marked by a really distant relationship 00:03:12.379 --> 00:03:16.539 with his father. It just created this wellspring 00:03:16.539 --> 00:03:19.740 of emotional complexity. I mean, we often look 00:03:19.740 --> 00:03:21.659 at the high achieving athlete and we just forget 00:03:21.659 --> 00:03:24.840 the foundational vulnerability. For Phelps, swimming 00:03:24.840 --> 00:03:27.479 really quickly transitioned from just an activity 00:03:27.479 --> 00:03:31.259 to a refuge and a metric for control in his life. 00:03:31.479 --> 00:03:33.919 And coupled with all that upheaval. there came 00:03:33.919 --> 00:03:36.919 an official diagnosis that really explains why 00:03:36.919 --> 00:03:38.919 that structured activity was so essential to 00:03:38.919 --> 00:03:41.849 the success. Exactly. While he was in the sixth 00:03:41.849 --> 00:03:44.590 grade, Michael was diagnosed with attention deficit 00:03:44.590 --> 00:03:48.330 hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. And this diagnosis 00:03:48.330 --> 00:03:51.490 is absolutely crueful to the story. ADHD means 00:03:51.490 --> 00:03:53.770 you have a constantly firing high energy brain. 00:03:53.949 --> 00:03:56.150 The rigid, repetitive, all -consuming nature 00:03:56.150 --> 00:03:58.270 of elite swimming, you know, that relentless 00:03:58.270 --> 00:04:00.689 black line at the bottom of the pool. It was 00:04:00.689 --> 00:04:02.610 the perfect mechanism to channel that energy, 00:04:02.689 --> 00:04:05.210 to focus that hyperactivity into a singular productive 00:04:05.210 --> 00:04:07.490 obsession. Without that structure, you could 00:04:07.490 --> 00:04:09.430 argue, that energy might have gone in far less 00:04:09.430 --> 00:04:12.129 productive ways. So swimming wasn't just a hobby. 00:04:12.289 --> 00:04:15.370 It was in a way kind of a self -medication through 00:04:15.370 --> 00:04:18.389 structure. And even at this young age, the results 00:04:18.389 --> 00:04:21.069 were already showing the inherent talent. The 00:04:21.069 --> 00:04:23.829 talent was explosive. I mean, by the age of 10, 00:04:23.990 --> 00:04:26.470 he already held a national record for his age 00:04:26.470 --> 00:04:29.930 group in the 100 meter butterfly. The butterfly. 00:04:30.129 --> 00:04:32.069 The butterfly. Yeah. Which, of course, would 00:04:32.069 --> 00:04:34.889 become his signature event. It's a stroke that 00:04:34.889 --> 00:04:37.829 demands this unique blend of power and rhythm 00:04:37.829 --> 00:04:41.329 and flexibility. That early indication of mastery 00:04:41.329 --> 00:04:43.509 in what is the most technically demanding stroke. 00:04:43.730 --> 00:04:46.269 It just signaled a once in a generation talent. 00:04:46.410 --> 00:04:48.709 And that rapid development, that raw focused 00:04:48.709 --> 00:04:51.009 energy. It brought him. the essential professional 00:04:51.009 --> 00:04:53.389 relationship of his life, the one with Coach 00:04:53.389 --> 00:04:55.829 Bob Bowman. Oh, absolutely. He started training 00:04:55.829 --> 00:04:57.810 under Bowman in the North Baltimore Aquatic Club 00:04:57.810 --> 00:05:00.670 at age 11. What made this pairing so essential, 00:05:00.829 --> 00:05:03.170 particularly for an athlete struggling with focus? 00:05:03.389 --> 00:05:05.529 Well, it was an immediate symbiosis of extremes. 00:05:05.709 --> 00:05:08.129 You had Phelps, who is this immense raw energy, 00:05:08.269 --> 00:05:10.290 and then you had Bowman, who is this immovable 00:05:10.290 --> 00:05:12.850 force of discipline. Phelps himself famously 00:05:12.850 --> 00:05:15.629 characterized Bowman as a drill sergeant. Right, 00:05:15.689 --> 00:05:17.870 a drill sergeant. And that wasn't a casual compliment. 00:05:18.050 --> 00:05:20.290 You know, it really speaks to the rigor, the 00:05:20.290 --> 00:05:23.009 lack of excuses, the unyielding regimen that 00:05:23.009 --> 00:05:25.970 Bowman enforced. For an athlete with ADHD, this 00:05:25.970 --> 00:05:28.470 regimented structure provided the external focus 00:05:28.470 --> 00:05:31.449 his brain needed. He was essentially outsourcing 00:05:31.449 --> 00:05:34.480 the organizational function to Bowman. What's 00:05:34.480 --> 00:05:36.899 fascinating is the longevity of that dynamic. 00:05:37.259 --> 00:05:39.680 I mean, he didn't just train under Bowman for 00:05:39.680 --> 00:05:41.480 a few years. He followed him across the country 00:05:41.480 --> 00:05:44.740 for nearly two decades. That continuity is almost 00:05:44.740 --> 00:05:47.319 unheard of in modern elite sports. It really 00:05:47.319 --> 00:05:49.939 is. Phelps followed Bowman from Baltimore to 00:05:49.939 --> 00:05:52.399 the University of Michigan after the 2004 Olympics. 00:05:52.800 --> 00:05:55.480 And it's a vital detail that, you know, Phelps 00:05:55.480 --> 00:05:57.319 attended classes there for four years, but he 00:05:57.319 --> 00:05:59.459 never formally pursued a degree. The priority 00:05:59.459 --> 00:06:02.420 was always training. Always. He followed Bowman 00:06:02.420 --> 00:06:04.560 back to Baltimore later on, and then finally, 00:06:04.699 --> 00:06:08.120 for his last push toward Rio in 2015, he moves 00:06:08.120 --> 00:06:10.660 across the country to Arizona to continue training 00:06:10.660 --> 00:06:13.899 under Bowman at Arizona State University. And 00:06:13.899 --> 00:06:16.879 Phelps himself put it so simply. Training with 00:06:16.879 --> 00:06:19.019 Bob was, quote, the smartest thing I've ever 00:06:19.019 --> 00:06:21.860 done. That long -term trust, that continuity, 00:06:22.180 --> 00:06:24.480 it allowed them to evolve his training based 00:06:24.480 --> 00:06:26.980 on his physical and mental state over 16 years. 00:06:27.639 --> 00:06:29.720 That has to be the key to his longevity. Oh, 00:06:29.839 --> 00:06:32.300 it allowed for consistent incremental adjustments 00:06:32.300 --> 00:06:34.740 rather than these radical shifts, which is just 00:06:34.740 --> 00:06:37.079 essential when you're training for multiple events 00:06:37.079 --> 00:06:40.279 across five Olympics. Bowman was able to manage 00:06:40.279 --> 00:06:42.480 the physical load while simultaneously managing 00:06:42.480 --> 00:06:45.579 the mental load and preventing burnout by constantly 00:06:45.579 --> 00:06:48.560 setting new challenging goals. Okay, before we 00:06:48.560 --> 00:06:51.699 move on to his global ascent, we have to tackle 00:06:51.699 --> 00:06:53.839 the most famous and maybe the most persistent 00:06:53.839 --> 00:06:57.449 myth about his training. The legendary diet. 00:06:57.610 --> 00:07:01.509 Ah, yes. The 12 ,000 calories a day myth. This 00:07:01.509 --> 00:07:03.889 became a media sensation, right? It painted him 00:07:03.889 --> 00:07:06.370 as this machine just fueled by excessive junk 00:07:06.370 --> 00:07:08.529 food. I remember the diagrams of the pancakes 00:07:08.529 --> 00:07:11.310 and the pizzas. Exactly. But the reality, according 00:07:11.310 --> 00:07:13.550 to Phelps himself, is that this number was wildly 00:07:13.550 --> 00:07:16.250 exaggerated. He stated he did not eat that much, 00:07:16.290 --> 00:07:18.209 not even during his peak growth and training 00:07:18.209 --> 00:07:21.990 phases. But OK, even if it wasn't 12 ,000, his 00:07:21.990 --> 00:07:24.550 caloric intake must have been. astronomically 00:07:24.550 --> 00:07:27.370 high to support that workload. What does the 00:07:27.370 --> 00:07:29.089 science tell us about what he actually needed? 00:07:29.500 --> 00:07:31.540 Even a high -end estimate would put him around 00:07:31.540 --> 00:07:34.300 8 ,000 to 10 ,000 calories a day during peak 00:07:34.300 --> 00:07:37.000 preparation cycles, which is still staggering. 00:07:37.139 --> 00:07:38.860 It's still incredible. It is. I mean, you have 00:07:38.860 --> 00:07:41.600 to consider the mechanisms at play here. When 00:07:41.600 --> 00:07:44.079 you train two, maybe three times a day, six days 00:07:44.079 --> 00:07:46.600 a week, often logging over 50 miles in the pool, 00:07:46.759 --> 00:07:49.800 and crucially, training for multi -event success 00:07:49.800 --> 00:07:53.019 like the 400 IM Your Body is constantly cycling 00:07:53.019 --> 00:07:56.000 between aerobic endurance and aerobic power and 00:07:56.000 --> 00:07:58.730 recovery. The energy expenditure is massive. 00:07:58.750 --> 00:08:01.110 It demands huge carbohydrate and protein reserves 00:08:01.110 --> 00:08:03.930 just to maintain weight and recover muscle tissue. 00:08:04.269 --> 00:08:06.970 So yeah, the myth was great for headlines, but 00:08:06.970 --> 00:08:09.430 the reality was a still extraordinary yet highly 00:08:09.430 --> 00:08:11.209 disciplined intake supporting one of the most 00:08:11.209 --> 00:08:14.029 demanding training regimens in history. So with 00:08:14.029 --> 00:08:16.930 Bowman's discipline and that raw talent now channeled, 00:08:16.930 --> 00:08:19.290 Phillips goes from a hyper -focused local star 00:08:19.290 --> 00:08:22.050 to an Olympian very, very quickly. Let's talk 00:08:22.050 --> 00:08:24.769 about his Olympic debut at the 2000 Summer Olympics 00:08:24.769 --> 00:08:27.449 in Sydney. Sydney was his global introduction. 00:08:27.689 --> 00:08:29.810 And just making the team was a historical feat 00:08:29.810 --> 00:08:32.970 in itself. At just 15 years old, Phelps qualified 00:08:32.970 --> 00:08:35.669 for the U .S. Olympic swim team. He became the 00:08:35.669 --> 00:08:39.350 youngest male to do so since 1932. That's a 68 00:08:39.350 --> 00:08:42.470 -year gap. A 68 -year gap. The achievement wasn't 00:08:42.470 --> 00:08:44.470 about the medal. It was about the arrival. It 00:08:44.470 --> 00:08:47.110 was him saying, I'm here. And he finished fifth. 00:08:47.789 --> 00:08:51.350 In the 200 meter butterfly final. So no medal, 00:08:51.490 --> 00:08:54.529 but immense experience. Exactly. It proved he 00:08:54.529 --> 00:08:57.169 belonged on the world stage. And then just a 00:08:57.169 --> 00:08:59.429 few months later, that experience translated 00:08:59.429 --> 00:09:01.809 into genuine world dominance. This is where he 00:09:01.809 --> 00:09:03.669 starts just rewriting the world record books, 00:09:03.750 --> 00:09:06.129 right? Yes. And very specifically, he targets 00:09:06.129 --> 00:09:08.549 the 200 meter butterfly, the event where he just 00:09:08.549 --> 00:09:11.360 came up short in Sydney. Yes. At the World Championship 00:09:11.360 --> 00:09:14.860 trials in March 2001, at 15 years and 9 months 00:09:14.860 --> 00:09:17.259 old, he broke the world record in the 200 -meter 00:09:17.259 --> 00:09:19.460 butterfly. This meant he became the youngest 00:09:19.460 --> 00:09:21.620 male ever to set a swimming world record, and 00:09:21.620 --> 00:09:23.840 he surpassed the previous holder, the Australian 00:09:23.840 --> 00:09:26.600 distance freestyle legend Ian Thorpe. This was 00:09:26.600 --> 00:09:29.259 the first seismic shift. It established Phelps 00:09:29.259 --> 00:09:31.500 not just as a great swimmer, but as a record 00:09:31.500 --> 00:09:34.379 -breaker in his teams. Then later that year at 00:09:34.379 --> 00:09:37.159 the World Championships in Fukuoka, he wins his 00:09:37.159 --> 00:09:40.049 first world title. breaking his own world record. 00:09:40.210 --> 00:09:42.330 So the next two years, the lead up to Athens, 00:09:42.549 --> 00:09:45.470 it just felt like this steady accumulation of 00:09:45.470 --> 00:09:48.529 speed and confidence. They were absolutely critical 00:09:48.529 --> 00:09:51.049 development years. He started blending his signature 00:09:51.049 --> 00:09:54.269 strokes at the 2002 Panpax. He set an American 00:09:54.269 --> 00:09:57.870 record in the 200 IM. And crucially, he lowered 00:09:57.870 --> 00:10:00.429 the world record in the 400 IM, which is the 00:10:00.429 --> 00:10:02.789 ultimate test of a complete swimmer, showing 00:10:02.789 --> 00:10:05.490 that early mastery over all four strokes. He 00:10:05.490 --> 00:10:07.509 won multiple gold and silver medals, including 00:10:07.509 --> 00:10:10.110 a world record with the 4x100 medley relay team. 00:10:10.309 --> 00:10:13.289 His butterfly split on that relay, 51 .1 seconds, 00:10:13.350 --> 00:10:15.529 was at the time the fastest ever recorded. But 00:10:15.529 --> 00:10:17.789 it was the 2003 World Championships in Barcelona 00:10:17.789 --> 00:10:20.350 that really cemented his status as a multi -event 00:10:20.350 --> 00:10:22.149 phenomenon, not just a butterfly specialist. 00:10:22.470 --> 00:10:25.029 It was a tour de force. He secured four gold 00:10:25.029 --> 00:10:28.279 medals. to silver, and broke an astonishing five 00:10:28.279 --> 00:10:30.960 world records during that competition. We see 00:10:30.960 --> 00:10:33.559 the butterfly dominance continue, breaking his 00:10:33.559 --> 00:10:35.740 200 -meter world record again, becoming the first 00:10:35.740 --> 00:10:40.519 man under 1 .54 .000. But the IMs, that's where 00:10:40.519 --> 00:10:43.460 the real drama was. He absolutely crushed the 00:10:43.460 --> 00:10:45.940 200 -meter individual medley world record twice 00:10:45.940 --> 00:10:49.259 in two days. Was there a specific external trigger 00:10:49.259 --> 00:10:51.820 for that level of performance? Oh, there was 00:10:51.820 --> 00:10:54.039 a distinct psychological element, which is so 00:10:54.039 --> 00:11:02.919 key to understand. Oh, that's all you need to 00:11:02.919 --> 00:11:05.299 hear? That's it. Phelps used that dismissive 00:11:05.299 --> 00:11:07.799 comment as intense motivation, and he just targeted 00:11:07.799 --> 00:11:11.009 the 200 meter IM. This establishes a pattern 00:11:11.009 --> 00:11:13.169 we're going to see again and again. Phelps thrives 00:11:13.169 --> 00:11:15.269 not just on competition, but on direct challenges 00:11:15.269 --> 00:11:17.909 and perceived slights. He uses external doubt 00:11:17.909 --> 00:11:20.490 as internal fuel. And that rivalry mindset extended 00:11:20.490 --> 00:11:22.970 even to the 100 -meter butterfly, where he had 00:11:22.970 --> 00:11:25.750 to settle for silver in 2003. That event was 00:11:25.750 --> 00:11:28.429 a duel with his American teammate, Ian Crocker. 00:11:29.080 --> 00:11:31.740 Phelps broke the 100 -meter fly world record 00:11:31.740 --> 00:11:34.500 in the semifinals, only for Crocker to break 00:11:34.500 --> 00:11:36.659 it again in the final, becoming the first man 00:11:36.659 --> 00:11:40.559 under 51 seconds. So Phelps, despite swimming 00:11:40.559 --> 00:11:43.200 faster than his former world record, had to settle 00:11:43.200 --> 00:11:46.240 for silver. This back -and -forth rivalry wasn't 00:11:46.240 --> 00:11:48.340 just physical. It was a race for psychological 00:11:48.340 --> 00:11:51.080 supremacy, and it just set the stage perfectly 00:11:51.080 --> 00:11:54.480 for 2004. Which brings us to the 2004 Athens 00:11:54.480 --> 00:11:58.120 Olympics, his first major medal haul. The world 00:11:58.120 --> 00:11:59.980 was watching to see if this teenager could deliver 00:11:59.980 --> 00:12:02.379 on all the hype. And he over -delivered. The 00:12:02.379 --> 00:12:04.860 trials alone were historic. Phelps became the 00:12:04.860 --> 00:12:07.200 first person to qualify in six individual events 00:12:07.200 --> 00:12:09.720 for a U .S. Olympic team. Six individual events. 00:12:09.820 --> 00:12:11.860 Just immense versatility. And strategically, 00:12:12.100 --> 00:12:14.480 he dropped the 200 -meter backstroke to focus 00:12:14.480 --> 00:12:16.679 on the 200 -meter freestyle because he wanted 00:12:16.679 --> 00:12:19.139 to race Ian Thorpe. He prioritized the biggest 00:12:19.139 --> 00:12:21.419 challenge over maximizing his medal count, an 00:12:21.419 --> 00:12:23.720 early sign of his competitive ethos. The final 00:12:23.720 --> 00:12:25.960 result was tying a record for most medals at 00:12:25.960 --> 00:12:29.110 a single Games. A mark set by Soviet gymnast 00:12:29.110 --> 00:12:32.830 Alexander Dityatin. Eight total medals, six gold 00:12:32.830 --> 00:12:35.490 and two bronze. The medal haul was fantastic, 00:12:35.710 --> 00:12:37.490 but I think the learning moments really came 00:12:37.490 --> 00:12:39.769 in the losses and the rivalries. Okay, let's 00:12:39.769 --> 00:12:42.549 focus on that. The 200 -meter freestyle, which 00:12:42.549 --> 00:12:45.669 was dubbed the race of the century. This was 00:12:45.669 --> 00:12:47.409 the moment he went head -to -head with Thorpe. 00:12:47.789 --> 00:12:50.649 the global superstar. It was an incredible spectacle. 00:12:50.970 --> 00:12:53.210 You had Phelps versus Thorpe versus Peter Band 00:12:53.210 --> 00:12:55.250 and Hugen Band. Phelps ended up third, taking 00:12:55.250 --> 00:12:59.029 the bronze. And crucially, that outcome immediately 00:12:59.029 --> 00:13:01.549 ended all the media hype that he might match 00:13:01.549 --> 00:13:03.830 Mark Spitz's seven golds right there in Athens. 00:13:04.070 --> 00:13:06.850 Right. But Phelps's reaction was incredibly insightful 00:13:06.850 --> 00:13:09.570 for a 19 -year -old. He said, how can I be disappointed? 00:13:09.850 --> 00:13:12.730 I swam in a field with the two fastest freestylers 00:13:12.730 --> 00:13:15.600 of all time. It wasn't about excuses. It was 00:13:15.600 --> 00:13:17.899 about recognizing the level of competition and 00:13:17.899 --> 00:13:20.039 showing respect, even in a high -stakes defeat. 00:13:20.240 --> 00:13:23.360 He banked that experience. But he did secure 00:13:23.360 --> 00:13:26.220 four individual golds in Athens, including the 00:13:26.220 --> 00:13:28.659 400 -meter IM, where he set a new world record. 00:13:28.960 --> 00:13:32.179 And the 100 -meter butterfly final was the culmination 00:13:32.179 --> 00:13:34.929 of that simmering rivalry with Ian Crocker. He 00:13:34.929 --> 00:13:38.230 won that race by 0 .04 seconds, the tiniest of 00:13:38.230 --> 00:13:41.529 margins, clinching the gold. And this led directly 00:13:41.529 --> 00:13:43.470 to a key moment of sportsmanship and leadership 00:13:43.470 --> 00:13:45.690 that's often cited as a turning point in his 00:13:45.690 --> 00:13:47.570 character. OK, I want to challenge the motive 00:13:47.570 --> 00:13:50.269 here, though. Was deferring his guaranteed spot 00:13:50.269 --> 00:13:53.769 in the 4x100 meter medley relay final to Crocker 00:13:53.769 --> 00:13:57.309 really just pure sportsmanship? Or was it maybe 00:13:57.309 --> 00:14:00.649 a calculated strategic move to reduce internal 00:14:00.649 --> 00:14:03.370 team tension before the final? Can we see it 00:14:03.370 --> 00:14:06.149 as an act of powerful leadership rather than 00:14:06.149 --> 00:14:08.610 just pure kindness? It was both, but I think 00:14:08.610 --> 00:14:11.009 it was primarily leadership. The spot was guaranteed 00:14:11.009 --> 00:14:13.870 to Phelps after his individual win, but Crocker 00:14:13.870 --> 00:14:15.529 had been struggling severely. He'd been battling 00:14:15.529 --> 00:14:17.669 sickness. He had a disastrous start in the freestyle 00:14:17.669 --> 00:14:20.389 relay. By deferring the spot, Phelps ensured 00:14:20.389 --> 00:14:22.710 the best possible outcome for the team. Crocker, 00:14:22.870 --> 00:14:25.529 desperate for redemption, was now highly motivated 00:14:25.529 --> 00:14:27.789 for the final. It was a massive psychological 00:14:27.789 --> 00:14:30.250 boost for Crocker and a removal of potential 00:14:30.250 --> 00:14:33.299 team friction. The move demonstrated that Phelps, 00:14:33.419 --> 00:14:36.100 despite his individual focus, recognized the 00:14:36.100 --> 00:14:38.840 crucial need for collective morale. And he still 00:14:38.840 --> 00:14:40.700 earned the gold medal by swimming in the heats, 00:14:40.799 --> 00:14:43.240 but that act of selflessness, it just resonated 00:14:43.240 --> 00:14:46.000 far beyond the pool deck. It sets the stage perfectly 00:14:46.000 --> 00:14:48.179 for the years of utter dominance that followed. 00:14:48.480 --> 00:14:51.399 So coming out of Athens, Phelps is a global celebrity. 00:14:51.899 --> 00:14:55.379 But the period between 2005 and 2007, it wasn't 00:14:55.379 --> 00:14:57.120 just a straight line to Beijing. It involved 00:14:57.120 --> 00:15:00.080 a lot of strategic experimentation with the goal 00:15:00.080 --> 00:15:02.980 of maximizing his potential. Absolutely. At the 00:15:02.980 --> 00:15:06.080 2005 World Championships trials, Phelps and Bowman 00:15:06.080 --> 00:15:08.299 made a conscious decision to drop two of his 00:15:08.299 --> 00:15:11.200 guaranteed specialty events. The 400 IM and the 00:15:11.200 --> 00:15:13.759 200 fly -to test himself in the longer freestyle 00:15:13.759 --> 00:15:17.340 events, the 400 free and 100 free. So an experiment. 00:15:17.639 --> 00:15:19.820 It was exploratory work. They wanted to see if 00:15:19.820 --> 00:15:22.100 he could challenge Thorpe's legacy. And it proved 00:15:22.100 --> 00:15:24.259 he was still refining his focus because at the 00:15:24.259 --> 00:15:26.980 World Championships, he failed spectacularly 00:15:26.980 --> 00:15:29.879 in the 400 -meter freestyle, finishing 18th overall. 00:15:30.139 --> 00:15:32.240 And he took seventh in the 100 -meter freestyle 00:15:32.240 --> 00:15:34.899 final. So he quickly confirmed that his superpowers 00:15:34.899 --> 00:15:37.299 were in the medley and the butterfly, not in 00:15:37.299 --> 00:15:40.000 pure distance freestyle. And we see the return 00:15:40.000 --> 00:15:42.639 to dominance almost immediately after that, using 00:15:42.639 --> 00:15:46.289 the setback as fuel. Oh, the rising tide of 2006 00:15:46.289 --> 00:15:49.309 and 2007 was palpable. The focus was back on 00:15:49.309 --> 00:15:52.309 his signature events. At the 2006 Pampax, he 00:15:52.309 --> 00:15:54.929 broke two long -standing individual world records, 00:15:55.190 --> 00:15:57.889 the 200 -meter butterfly, his first individual 00:15:57.889 --> 00:16:01.769 WR in two years, and the 200 -meter IM. He swept 00:16:01.769 --> 00:16:03.929 five gold medals. He was regaining momentum. 00:16:04.289 --> 00:16:06.929 And then 2007 served as the perfect warm -up, 00:16:06.970 --> 00:16:09.710 really foreshadowing the impossibility of what 00:16:09.710 --> 00:16:12.100 was to come in Beijing. The 2007 World Championships 00:16:12.100 --> 00:16:14.799 in Melbourne was just astonishing. Phelps won 00:16:14.799 --> 00:16:17.440 seven gold medals, officially tying Mark Spitz's 00:16:17.440 --> 00:16:19.279 record for a global long course championship, 00:16:19.480 --> 00:16:22.539 which Spitz had set at the 1972 Olympics. And 00:16:22.539 --> 00:16:24.759 he broke five world records during this competition. 00:16:25.059 --> 00:16:28.490 Five. including finally breaking the 200 -meter 00:16:28.490 --> 00:16:30.809 freestyle world record that Ian Thorpe had held 00:16:30.809 --> 00:16:33.289 for six years. He was only prevented from winning 00:16:33.289 --> 00:16:35.169 eight goals because the four -by -100 -meter 00:16:35.169 --> 00:16:38.110 medley relay team was disqualified for a false 00:16:38.110 --> 00:16:40.669 start during a heat changeover. He proved he 00:16:40.669 --> 00:16:42.830 had the physical and mental capacity for an eight 00:16:42.830 --> 00:16:45.129 -gold performance a year early. Which brings 00:16:45.129 --> 00:16:48.409 us to 2008, the impossible eight in Beijing. 00:16:49.049 --> 00:16:51.070 This wasn't just about winning. It was about 00:16:51.070 --> 00:16:53.549 destroying records and dominating under the most 00:16:53.549 --> 00:16:56.149 intense pressure imaginable. The pressure was 00:16:56.149 --> 00:16:58.509 immense. The trials confirmed he was prepared 00:16:58.509 --> 00:17:01.450 as he set two new world records in the 400 IM 00:17:01.450 --> 00:17:04.650 and 200 IM. But the Olympic schedule, it just 00:17:04.650 --> 00:17:07.269 demanded perfection, rest management, and mental 00:17:07.269 --> 00:17:10.130 fortitude unlike anything seen before. Take us 00:17:10.130 --> 00:17:11.990 through the high points, starting with gold medal 00:17:11.990 --> 00:17:14.289 number one, the 400 meter individual medley. 00:17:14.519 --> 00:17:16.900 He established the tone of relentless speed immediately. 00:17:17.220 --> 00:17:19.799 He broke his own world record by nearly two seconds, 00:17:20.019 --> 00:17:23.799 clocking 4 .03 .84. And what's fascinating here 00:17:23.799 --> 00:17:26.119 is the sheer durability of that record. It stood 00:17:26.119 --> 00:17:28.519 as the longest men's long course world record 00:17:28.519 --> 00:17:32.180 in history until 2023. 15 years. Because the 00:17:32.180 --> 00:17:35.500 400 IM is the ultimate test. It requires mastery 00:17:35.500 --> 00:17:38.160 of power for the fly, back endurance, leg strength 00:17:38.160 --> 00:17:40.299 for the breaststroke, and closing speed for the 00:17:40.299 --> 00:17:43.759 free. And for Phelps, his unique physical dimensions, 00:17:44.019 --> 00:17:47.299 that unusually long torso, short legs, large 00:17:47.299 --> 00:17:49.420 feet, and double -jointed ankles allowing for 00:17:49.420 --> 00:17:52.220 15 -degree increased flexion, they gave him a 00:17:52.220 --> 00:17:54.380 genetic advantage, especially in the butterfly 00:17:54.380 --> 00:17:56.880 and those crucial underwater dolphin kick phases 00:17:56.880 --> 00:18:00.559 that define the 400 IM. He simply optimized his 00:18:00.559 --> 00:18:03.640 physical destiny. Gold Medal II, the 4x100 meter 00:18:03.640 --> 00:18:06.339 freestyle relay, provided the first massive dose 00:18:06.339 --> 00:18:09.099 of drama. That was the legendary race. It's arguably 00:18:09.099 --> 00:18:11.400 the moment the wider world understood the scale 00:18:11.400 --> 00:18:13.799 of his endeavor. Phelps swam the lead off leg, 00:18:13.880 --> 00:18:16.420 but the focus shifted entirely to the final 100 00:18:16.420 --> 00:18:19.650 meters. With Jason Lizak. With Lizak. France's 00:18:19.650 --> 00:18:22.009 Alain Bernard, the world record holder, had boasted 00:18:22.009 --> 00:18:25.109 about smashing the Americans. Lezak dove in more 00:18:25.109 --> 00:18:27.549 than half a body length behind Bernard. He had 00:18:27.549 --> 00:18:29.670 to unleash this monumental anchor leg, swimming 00:18:29.670 --> 00:18:32.869 a 46 .06 split, the fastest relay split ever 00:18:32.869 --> 00:18:35.529 at the time, to surge past Bernard in the final 00:18:35.529 --> 00:18:38.470 five meters, winning by an infinitesimal .08 00:18:38.470 --> 00:18:41.869 seconds. Just pure theater. And Phelps later 00:18:41.869 --> 00:18:44.809 confirmed that Bernard's smack talk had, quote, 00:18:44.869 --> 00:18:48.430 fired me up more than anything else. That external 00:18:48.430 --> 00:18:51.730 motivation strikes again. The universe conspired 00:18:51.730 --> 00:18:53.990 to give Phelps the psychological fuel he needed. 00:18:54.150 --> 00:18:56.609 Then gold medal four, the 200 meter butterfly, 00:18:56.829 --> 00:18:59.750 involved a piece of legendary athletic improvisation. 00:18:59.809 --> 00:19:02.089 Right. He won despite swimming the second half 00:19:02.089 --> 00:19:04.869 of the race essentially blind. Yes. His goggles 00:19:04.869 --> 00:19:07.329 filled up with water right after his first flip 00:19:07.329 --> 00:19:10.109 turn. So you have to imagine swimming the 200 00:19:10.109 --> 00:19:12.990 meter butterfly, a complex, demanding event and 00:19:12.990 --> 00:19:14.890 losing all visual reference for the last 100 00:19:14.890 --> 00:19:17.109 meters. How does he maintain world record pace? 00:19:17.369 --> 00:19:20.029 It was a demonstration of unparalleled internalization. 00:19:20.039 --> 00:19:22.940 pace and feel for the water. He didn't rely on 00:19:22.940 --> 00:19:25.440 sight. He relied on muscle memory and the internal 00:19:25.440 --> 00:19:27.819 rhythm of his stroke count. He knew exactly how 00:19:27.819 --> 00:19:29.519 many strokes it took to get from the wall to 00:19:29.519 --> 00:19:32.079 the flags and from the flags to the finish. He 00:19:32.079 --> 00:19:35.359 still won and set a world record of 1 .52 .03. 00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:38.180 And that victory also made him the all -time 00:19:38.180 --> 00:19:40.319 leader in Olympic gold medals with 10 total, 00:19:40.460 --> 00:19:43.019 a record that had stood for decades. Gold medal 00:19:43.019 --> 00:19:45.319 seven brought perhaps the greatest controversy, 00:19:45.640 --> 00:19:48.299 the slimmest margin, and the ultimate psychological 00:19:48.299 --> 00:19:52.309 duel. The 100 -meter butterfly against Milorad 00:19:52.309 --> 00:19:55.809 Ović of Serbia. Ović had been aggressive in the 00:19:55.809 --> 00:19:58.130 media, stoking the flames, saying he'd be happy 00:19:58.130 --> 00:20:00.369 if Phelps lost and that he, quote, would like 00:20:00.369 --> 00:20:02.750 to be that guy who stopped him. And Phelps won 00:20:02.750 --> 00:20:06.430 by just .01 second. One one -hundredth of a second. 00:20:06.549 --> 00:20:08.690 The margin was so small the Serbian delegation 00:20:08.690 --> 00:20:11.390 filed a protest. So how did the governing body 00:20:11.390 --> 00:20:14.440 handle a margin that fine? This is where we need 00:20:14.440 --> 00:20:16.619 to understand FINA, the international governing 00:20:16.619 --> 00:20:19.740 body for aquatic sports. Because the timing was 00:20:19.740 --> 00:20:22.880 so tight, FINA had to use high -speed video analysis. 00:20:23.240 --> 00:20:26.960 The review involved frames shot at 110 ,000th 00:20:26.960 --> 00:20:29.480 of a second intervals to officially confirm that 00:20:29.480 --> 00:20:31.740 Phelps' fingertips had triggered the pad just 00:20:31.740 --> 00:20:34.019 before Habich's full -body glide had reached 00:20:34.019 --> 00:20:36.880 the wall. Incredible. Mark Spitz watching called 00:20:36.880 --> 00:20:39.319 Phelps the greatest racer who ever walked the 00:20:39.319 --> 00:20:41.940 planet. It was a victory of the fingertip, proving 00:20:41.940 --> 00:20:44.289 Phelps' ability to to execute a perfect finish 00:20:44.289 --> 00:20:46.650 under supreme pressure. And finally, gold medal 00:20:46.650 --> 00:20:49.589 eight, the four by 100 meter medley relay, breaking 00:20:49.589 --> 00:20:52.750 Spitz's single games record of seven golds. History 00:20:52.750 --> 00:20:55.650 achieved. The U .S. team set a new world record. 00:20:56.150 --> 00:20:58.970 Phelps, swimming the butterfly leg, took the 00:20:58.970 --> 00:21:01.509 team from trailing both Australia and Japan to 00:21:01.509 --> 00:21:05.269 a decisive lead. His 50 .1 second split remains 00:21:05.269 --> 00:21:07.589 one of the greatest relay splits ever, setting 00:21:07.589 --> 00:21:10.410 up Lazak to bring home the gold. That moment. 00:21:10.859 --> 00:21:13.779 Eight gold medals, seven world records. It just 00:21:13.779 --> 00:21:15.900 secured his place in the highest echelon of athletic 00:21:15.900 --> 00:21:18.319 history. Now, given the scale of that success 00:21:18.319 --> 00:21:20.579 and the new world records he was setting in virtually 00:21:20.579 --> 00:21:23.700 every swim, media speculation about performance 00:21:23.700 --> 00:21:26.579 enhancing drugs was, well, inevitable. It was, 00:21:26.619 --> 00:21:29.220 and it was absolutely necessary to address. Phelps 00:21:29.220 --> 00:21:31.740 participated in a crucial initiative called Project 00:21:31.740 --> 00:21:34.400 Believe. This was a voluntary program run by 00:21:34.400 --> 00:21:37.579 the United States anti -doping agency USADA that 00:21:37.579 --> 00:21:39.880 subjected him to testing far in excess of the 00:21:39.880 --> 00:21:42.460 standard WADA guidelines. What made Project Believe 00:21:42.460 --> 00:21:45.920 unique? It was an act of transparency. Athletes 00:21:45.920 --> 00:21:48.140 volunteered for a regime that included numerous 00:21:48.140 --> 00:21:50.680 out of competition tests and samples taken outside 00:21:50.680 --> 00:21:53.140 of the standard windows. And the source confirms 00:21:53.140 --> 00:21:55.720 that during the Beijing Games alone, Phelps passed 00:21:55.720 --> 00:21:59.119 all nine tests administered to him. By submitting 00:21:59.119 --> 00:22:02.180 to this extraordinary level of scrutiny, Phelps 00:22:02.180 --> 00:22:04.680 aimed to remove all doubt about the legitimacy 00:22:04.680 --> 00:22:07.299 of his accomplishments. Following Beijing, we 00:22:07.299 --> 00:22:09.460 saw another strategic pivot point that affected 00:22:09.460 --> 00:22:12.779 every swimmer. The introduction of the infamous 00:22:12.779 --> 00:22:16.079 high -tech suits in 2009. This was a genuine 00:22:16.079 --> 00:22:19.039 crisis for the sport. The 2009 World Championships 00:22:19.039 --> 00:22:21.900 were so heavily influenced by these new, full 00:22:21.900 --> 00:22:25.240 polyurethane suits, the shark suits, which were 00:22:25.240 --> 00:22:27.799 designed to dramatically improve buoyancy, reduce 00:22:27.799 --> 00:22:30.339 drag, and compress the body. This technological 00:22:30.339 --> 00:22:33.079 leap essentially broke the record books temporarily. 00:22:33.500 --> 00:22:35.880 And this led to his famous loss in the 200 -meter 00:22:35.880 --> 00:22:38.779 freestyle. Exactly. He lost to Germany's Paul 00:22:38.779 --> 00:22:40.880 Biederman, who wore the Arena X -Glide suit. 00:22:41.180 --> 00:22:43.400 Biederman not only defeated Phelps, but crushed 00:22:43.400 --> 00:22:46.359 his world record. Coach Bowman reacted so strongly, 00:22:46.539 --> 00:22:49.299 claiming Biederman had an unfair advantage. Right. 00:22:49.359 --> 00:22:52.200 He was furious. He was. He threatened to withdraw 00:22:52.200 --> 00:22:54.660 Phelps from international competition, stating 00:22:54.660 --> 00:22:57.319 publicly, It took me five years to get Michael 00:22:57.319 --> 00:23:01.140 from 1 .46 to 1 .42, and this guy has done it 00:23:01.140 --> 00:23:04.680 in 11 months. It was a commentary on the purity 00:23:04.680 --> 00:23:07.240 of the sport versus technology, and it ultimately 00:23:07.240 --> 00:23:10.460 led to FINA banning those suits in 2010. But 00:23:10.460 --> 00:23:13.269 Phelps didn't let Biedermann's win, or... the 00:23:13.269 --> 00:23:16.069 suit controversy, defined his meat, especially 00:23:16.069 --> 00:23:18.369 not in the 100 -meter butterfly against Dan Adler. 00:23:18.410 --> 00:23:21.049 No, he took that loss in the 200 free, he internalized 00:23:21.049 --> 00:23:23.009 the motivation, and he just channeled it into 00:23:23.009 --> 00:23:25.339 the 100 -meter fly. Avich wore the exact same 00:23:25.339 --> 00:23:27.740 Arena X -Glide suit and had even offered to buy 00:23:27.740 --> 00:23:29.700 Phelps a new suit beforehand again, providing 00:23:29.700 --> 00:23:31.980 that essential external taunt. He always gives 00:23:31.980 --> 00:23:34.500 them the material. Always. Phelps responded on 00:23:34.500 --> 00:23:36.559 the clock, winning the gold, setting a world 00:23:36.559 --> 00:23:40.359 record of 49 .82 seconds, and becoming the first 00:23:40.359 --> 00:23:42.759 man to complete the 100 -meter butterfly under 00:23:42.759 --> 00:23:46.339 50 seconds. The celebration was fierce. It proved 00:23:46.339 --> 00:23:48.359 that even amidst a technological disruption, 00:23:48.839 --> 00:23:51.680 his sheer willpower and competitive drive were 00:23:51.680 --> 00:23:55.339 unmatched. As we transition into the 2012 London 00:23:55.339 --> 00:23:58.059 Olympics, we're seeing an athlete who is already, 00:23:58.180 --> 00:24:01.279 I think, exhausted by the regimen. London was 00:24:01.279 --> 00:24:03.519 marked by preparation for what Phelps truly thought 00:24:03.519 --> 00:24:06.000 would be his final retirement. He initially qualified 00:24:06.000 --> 00:24:08.130 for eight events again. But he strategically 00:24:08.130 --> 00:24:10.849 dropped the 200 -meter freestyle, sensing he 00:24:10.849 --> 00:24:12.930 needed to conserve energy and prioritize the 00:24:12.930 --> 00:24:14.829 relays. And the London Games started with an 00:24:14.829 --> 00:24:17.109 early stumble. He finished fourth in the 400 00:24:17.109 --> 00:24:19.869 -meter IM. This was his first failure to medal 00:24:19.869 --> 00:24:22.730 in an Olympic event since 2000. It was a signal 00:24:22.730 --> 00:24:24.769 that the endurance required for the 400 IM at 00:24:24.769 --> 00:24:27.609 age 27 was starting to wane. However, he quickly 00:24:27.609 --> 00:24:29.509 course -corrected, finding his rest in the shorter 00:24:29.509 --> 00:24:31.450 events. And he immediately broke an important 00:24:31.450 --> 00:24:34.309 non -swimming record. He did. With a silver in 00:24:34.309 --> 00:24:36.990 the 200 -meter butterfly and a gold in the 4x200 00:24:36.990 --> 00:24:39.849 -meter freestyle relay, he surpassed the Soviet 00:24:39.849 --> 00:24:42.210 gymnast Larisa Latnina for the all -time record 00:24:42.210 --> 00:24:44.650 for most Olympic medals on his 19th overall. 00:24:45.430 --> 00:24:48.069 And Latnina, a nine -time gold medalist herself, 00:24:48.349 --> 00:24:50.809 called him deserving of the record, kind of passing 00:24:50.809 --> 00:24:53.289 the torch to the new all -time medalist. He also 00:24:53.289 --> 00:24:55.829 achieved an incredible historical feat in London. 00:24:56.329 --> 00:24:58.730 winning the same event in three consecutive Olympics. 00:24:58.990 --> 00:25:01.269 He achieved that unique triple peat in both the 00:25:01.269 --> 00:25:04.470 200 meter IM and the 100 meter fly. And his victory 00:25:04.470 --> 00:25:07.250 in the 200 meter IM made him the first male swimmer 00:25:07.250 --> 00:25:09.869 ever to win the same individual event three times 00:25:09.869 --> 00:25:12.890 consecutively. It just speaks volumes about his 00:25:12.890 --> 00:25:15.690 longevity, his consistency, and that sustained 00:25:15.690 --> 00:25:18.230 mastery in his core disciplines. He concluded 00:25:18.230 --> 00:25:20.650 the London Games with six medals, four gold, 00:25:20.750 --> 00:25:23.470 two silver, and immediately retired with a final, 00:25:23.509 --> 00:25:26.150 very absolute statement. The quote leaves absolutely 00:25:26.150 --> 00:25:28.009 no room for doubt. I'm done. I'm finished. I'm 00:25:28.009 --> 00:25:31.269 retired. I'm done. No more. He was burnt out. 00:25:31.369 --> 00:25:32.809 He said he wanted nothing more to do with the 00:25:32.809 --> 00:25:34.690 sport. He had achieved every measurable goal 00:25:34.690 --> 00:25:37.130 possible in swimming. But the reality of life 00:25:37.130 --> 00:25:39.349 outside the rigid structure of Bowman's pool 00:25:39.349 --> 00:25:42.450 quickly proved challenging, and it led to a resurgence 00:25:42.450 --> 00:25:44.569 of personal issues that had shadowed him throughout 00:25:44.569 --> 00:25:47.029 his career. The legal issues provided a stark 00:25:47.029 --> 00:25:49.609 contrast to his competitive discipline. His first 00:25:49.609 --> 00:25:52.609 major incident came in 2004 with a DUI arrest, 00:25:52.890 --> 00:25:56.029 which resulted in probation. Then in 2009, post 00:25:56.029 --> 00:25:58.869 -Beijing, that infamous photo of him using a 00:25:58.869 --> 00:26:01.210 bong led to a three -month suspension by USA 00:26:01.210 --> 00:26:03.589 Swimming. But the consequences of the second 00:26:03.589 --> 00:26:06.769 incident in 2014 were far more severe. What happened 00:26:06.769 --> 00:26:09.609 in September 2014? He was arrested again in Baltimore 00:26:09.609 --> 00:26:12.210 on charges of DUI and speeding. The consequences 00:26:12.210 --> 00:26:15.480 were profound. a six -month suspension from USA 00:26:15.480 --> 00:26:17.720 Swimming, and his removal from the U .S. team 00:26:17.720 --> 00:26:20.599 for the 2015 World Championships. And without 00:26:20.599 --> 00:26:23.099 him, the U .S. men's team failed to qualify for 00:26:23.099 --> 00:26:25.940 the finals of the 4x100 -meter freestyle relay, 00:26:26.140 --> 00:26:29.019 a disaster that starkly highlighted his irreplaceable 00:26:29.019 --> 00:26:32.259 value, even in his absence. So this arrest, it 00:26:32.259 --> 00:26:34.079 becomes the catalyst for his ultimate turnaround 00:26:34.079 --> 00:26:37.819 and his comeback in 2014. What specifically motivated 00:26:37.819 --> 00:26:40.119 this return, given how definitive he was about 00:26:40.119 --> 00:26:42.319 retiring? Initially, I think the failure of the 00:26:42.319 --> 00:26:44.839 relay team provided some competitive motivation. 00:26:45.359 --> 00:26:47.859 But the real shift came when he sought professional 00:26:47.859 --> 00:26:51.980 help. That 2014 DUI arrest prompted him to enter 00:26:51.980 --> 00:26:54.859 a 45 -day residential stay at the Meadows Treatment 00:26:54.859 --> 00:26:57.680 Facility in Arizona. This was the turning point. 00:26:57.859 --> 00:27:00.099 This was bigger than swimming. Much bigger. He 00:27:00.099 --> 00:27:02.480 revealed that after the 2012 Olympics, he struggled 00:27:02.480 --> 00:27:04.759 intensely with depression and had contemplated 00:27:04.759 --> 00:27:07.279 suicide. This period of treatment was about saving 00:27:07.279 --> 00:27:10.279 his life, not saving his career. And he convinced 00:27:10.279 --> 00:27:12.200 the skeptical Coach Bowman to take him back. 00:27:12.500 --> 00:27:14.759 But the condition was different this time. Yes, 00:27:14.839 --> 00:27:17.140 the condition was crucial. He wasn't training 00:27:17.140 --> 00:27:19.180 for history or for the fans. He was training, 00:27:19.259 --> 00:27:22.759 quote, for himself. And enjoy the journey. This 00:27:22.759 --> 00:27:24.700 represented a fundamental change in mindset. 00:27:24.980 --> 00:27:27.039 It was about personal well -being and fulfillment 00:27:27.039 --> 00:27:29.779 rather than external expectation and medal counts. 00:27:30.000 --> 00:27:32.440 He was now swimming with a purpose beyond just 00:27:32.440 --> 00:27:35.240 winning. He even sought advice from NFL legend 00:27:35.240 --> 00:27:38.500 Ray Lewis before the 2016 games, seeking mentorship 00:27:38.500 --> 00:27:41.279 on how to maintain competitive intensity while 00:27:41.279 --> 00:27:43.640 managing life structure. And despite that six 00:27:43.640 --> 00:27:45.759 -month suspension, when he returned to competition 00:27:45.759 --> 00:27:48.940 at the 2015 U .S. National Championships, the 00:27:48.940 --> 00:27:51.630 competitive speed was immediately evident. Proved 00:27:51.630 --> 00:27:53.569 the hiatus hadn't diminished his talent at all. 00:27:53.670 --> 00:27:56.250 It was remarkable. He won gold medals in the 00:27:56.250 --> 00:27:59.309 100 -meter fly, 200 -meter fly, and the 200 meters 00:27:59.309 --> 00:28:02.950 IMM. In all three events, at age 30, he swam 00:28:02.950 --> 00:28:05.690 the fastest times in the world for 2015. The 00:28:05.690 --> 00:28:08.250 comeback was real, and it was driven by a far 00:28:08.250 --> 00:28:10.930 healthier, more focused athlete. So he reached 00:28:10.930 --> 00:28:13.970 his final Olympics, Rio 2016, his fifth Games. 00:28:14.430 --> 00:28:16.970 And a completely different Michael Phelps arrived 00:28:16.970 --> 00:28:19.680 in Brazil. He was visibly more relaxed, more 00:28:19.680 --> 00:28:22.240 sociable. The team voted for him to be the American 00:28:22.240 --> 00:28:24.500 flag bearer, which was the first Olympic opening 00:28:24.500 --> 00:28:26.559 ceremony he had ever attended. That's amazing. 00:28:26.799 --> 00:28:29.279 It's a major emotional shift from his isolated, 00:28:29.380 --> 00:28:32.039 rigid preparation in previous years. He was accompanied 00:28:32.039 --> 00:28:35.140 by his fiance and his son, Boomer. It just emphasized 00:28:35.140 --> 00:28:37.279 the importance of his support system. This was 00:28:37.279 --> 00:28:40.259 the mature final phase of the Joe. Rio had several 00:28:40.259 --> 00:28:43.200 dramatic moments, but if you had to pick one 00:28:43.200 --> 00:28:46.240 original snapshot that encapsulated his competitive 00:28:46.240 --> 00:28:49.440 intensity that year, what would it be? Was the 00:28:49.440 --> 00:28:52.339 hashtag Phelps face really the peak or was there 00:28:52.339 --> 00:28:54.759 more tension unseen? The hashtag Phelps face 00:28:54.759 --> 00:28:57.440 was pure marketing gold. It captured the rivalry 00:28:57.440 --> 00:29:00.509 perfectly. The tension with South Africa's Chad 00:29:00.509 --> 00:29:02.990 LaClos had been mounting, especially after Phelps 00:29:02.990 --> 00:29:04.910 implied the current butterfly times were slow 00:29:04.910 --> 00:29:06.890 during his retirement. He couldn't help himself. 00:29:07.150 --> 00:29:09.630 No, he couldn't. And that famous moment occurred 00:29:09.630 --> 00:29:12.430 in the ready room before the 200 meter butterfly 00:29:12.430 --> 00:29:15.990 preliminary where LaClos was showboating shadowboxing 00:29:15.990 --> 00:29:18.349 near Phelps. Phelps responded with that iconic 00:29:18.349 --> 00:29:20.410 glower in a corner, which immediately became 00:29:20.410 --> 00:29:22.750 an Internet meme. That glare wasn't acting. It 00:29:22.750 --> 00:29:24.869 was the focused killer instinct reasserting itself. 00:29:25.049 --> 00:29:27.190 And Phelps backed up the stare, winning back 00:29:27.190 --> 00:29:31.009 that 200 meter butterfly. That was his main comeback 00:29:31.009 --> 00:29:33.190 goal, reclaiming what he felt was his territory. 00:29:33.450 --> 00:29:36.529 He won, edging out Masato Sakai by .04 seconds. 00:29:37.259 --> 00:29:40.019 At 31, he became the oldest male individual champion 00:29:40.019 --> 00:29:42.559 in Olympic swimming history, an impressive display 00:29:42.559 --> 00:29:44.940 of late career longevity. And his individual 00:29:44.940 --> 00:29:48.279 victories in Rio were true history -making moments, 00:29:48.460 --> 00:29:50.720 breaking records that stretched back centuries. 00:29:51.140 --> 00:29:53.619 The most profound was winning his fourth consecutive 00:29:53.619 --> 00:29:56.839 gold in the 200 -meter IM. He became the first 00:29:56.839 --> 00:29:59.059 swimmer to win the same individual event four 00:29:59.059 --> 00:30:02.079 times. But the historical connection came with 00:30:02.079 --> 00:30:05.640 his 13th individual Olympic gold medal. That 00:30:05.640 --> 00:30:08.200 number broke an ancient Olympic record set by 00:30:08.200 --> 00:30:10.859 Leonidas of Rhodes, who had held 12 individual 00:30:10.859 --> 00:30:15.119 titles, roughly 2 ,168 years ago. It's hard to 00:30:15.119 --> 00:30:16.960 even wrap your head around that. It is. I mean, 00:30:16.980 --> 00:30:19.039 Leonidas won titles in running events like the 00:30:19.039 --> 00:30:21.299 stadium across four separate Olympiads. There 00:30:21.299 --> 00:30:23.240 were no time measurements. The events were totally 00:30:23.240 --> 00:30:25.940 different. For a modern athlete to surpass a 00:30:25.940 --> 00:30:28.039 record set at the very foundation of the Games 00:30:28.039 --> 00:30:30.240 through the highly measured technical sport of 00:30:30.240 --> 00:30:33.099 swimming, It just emphasizes the span of history 00:30:33.099 --> 00:30:35.279 of Falk's achievements cover. And he ended his 00:30:35.279 --> 00:30:37.980 career with his 23rd gold medal in the 4x100 00:30:37.980 --> 00:30:40.619 meter medley relay. On August 13th, swimming 00:30:40.619 --> 00:30:43.500 the butterfly leg one last time, he and his teammates 00:30:43.500 --> 00:30:46.099 secured the gold. breaking the Olympic record. 00:30:46.259 --> 00:30:49.240 He retired for good, cementing his status as 00:30:49.240 --> 00:30:52.339 an anomaly, a swimmer winning multiple gold medals 00:30:52.339 --> 00:30:55.299 at 31 years old, well beyond the typical peak 00:30:55.299 --> 00:30:58.099 for male swimmers. He proved that mental clarity 00:30:58.099 --> 00:31:00.539 and renewed focus could trump the biological 00:31:00.539 --> 00:31:03.619 constraints of age. So when we look at the quantitative 00:31:03.619 --> 00:31:06.039 legacy of Michael Phelps, the records extend 00:31:06.039 --> 00:31:08.980 far beyond just the Olympic medal cabinet. His 00:31:08.980 --> 00:31:11.460 career was defined by this constant erosion of 00:31:11.460 --> 00:31:15.589 world records. world records did he set throughout 00:31:15.589 --> 00:31:18.240 his career. I know it surpassed even the mighty 00:31:18.240 --> 00:31:21.279 Mark Spitz. Philp set 39 FINA World Records in 00:31:21.279 --> 00:31:24.400 total, 29 individual records, and 10 relay records. 00:31:24.740 --> 00:31:27.200 This surpasses Mark Spitz's previous record of 00:31:27.200 --> 00:31:30.099 33 total records. This prolific rate of record 00:31:30.099 --> 00:31:32.240 setting really confirms his era of dominance. 00:31:32.579 --> 00:31:35.140 The sources also mention he holds 20 Guinness 00:31:35.140 --> 00:31:37.900 World Records, predominantly for cumulative achievements 00:31:37.900 --> 00:31:40.039 like most medals or most consecutive Olympic 00:31:40.039 --> 00:31:42.339 gold medals, the highest number of accumulative 00:31:42.339 --> 00:31:44.980 Guinness records held by any athlete. Let's focus 00:31:44.980 --> 00:31:47.079 on the key long -course world records he set 00:31:47.079 --> 00:31:49.599 that really defined his ability, even if some 00:31:49.599 --> 00:31:51.440 of them have since been broken by the next generation. 00:31:51.920 --> 00:31:54.140 The defining individual records he established, 00:31:54.400 --> 00:31:57.119 often in that hyper -fast tech suit era, include 00:31:57.119 --> 00:32:00.099 the 100 -meter butterfly at 49 .82 seconds in 00:32:00.099 --> 00:32:04.599 2009, the 200 -meter butterfly at 1 .51 .51 also 00:32:04.599 --> 00:32:08.480 in 2009, and the most durable of all, the 400 00:32:08.480 --> 00:32:12.000 -meter individual medley. 4 .8, 3 .84 in Beijing. 00:32:12.119 --> 00:32:14.779 From Beijing, right. That 400 IM record stood 00:32:14.779 --> 00:32:17.720 as the ultimate physical benchmark for 15 years. 00:32:18.019 --> 00:32:20.420 And even post -retirement. His influence still 00:32:20.420 --> 00:32:22.559 shapes the world. record landscape through the 00:32:22.559 --> 00:32:24.839 relays that's right his speed remains the global 00:32:24.839 --> 00:32:27.319 standard in two relays he still holds the world 00:32:27.319 --> 00:32:29.500 record for the 4 by 100 meter freestyle relay 00:32:29.500 --> 00:32:32.500 set in 2008 in beijing and the 4 by 200 meter 00:32:32.500 --> 00:32:35.440 freestyle relay set in 2009. the ability to lead 00:32:35.440 --> 00:32:37.680 a team to world records confirms that his success 00:32:37.680 --> 00:32:40.539 wasn't just individual his contribution elevated 00:32:40.539 --> 00:32:42.900 the performance of every american team he swam 00:32:42.900 --> 00:32:45.359 with and beyond the pool deck his legacy is recognized 00:32:45.359 --> 00:32:47.779 through numerous honors and awards signaling 00:32:47.779 --> 00:32:50.359 his cultural impact The recognition is widespread 00:32:50.359 --> 00:32:53.539 and diverse. He received the Sports Illustrated 00:32:53.539 --> 00:32:56.539 Sportsman of the Year in 2008. The ultimate hometown 00:32:56.539 --> 00:32:59.579 honor came early. A street in Baltimore was renamed 00:32:59.579 --> 00:33:03.690 the Michael Phelps Way back in 2004. And critically, 00:33:03.910 --> 00:33:06.069 following his successful and deeply personal 00:33:06.069 --> 00:33:08.509 comeback, he was recognized with the Laureus 00:33:08.509 --> 00:33:11.109 World Comeback of the Year Award in 2017. And 00:33:11.109 --> 00:33:14.109 all the Swimmer of the Year Awards. An astounding 00:33:14.109 --> 00:33:16.750 eight World Swimmer of the Year Awards and 11 00:33:16.750 --> 00:33:19.150 American Swimmer of the Year Awards. But the 00:33:19.150 --> 00:33:21.430 most significant transition in his post -swimming 00:33:21.430 --> 00:33:24.049 life has to be the shift toward mental health 00:33:24.049 --> 00:33:26.650 advocacy and philanthropy, taking the lessons 00:33:26.650 --> 00:33:28.809 learned from his darkest moments and applying 00:33:28.809 --> 00:33:31.190 them to help others. This is where his vulnerability 00:33:31.190 --> 00:33:33.869 really became his greatest strength. After the 00:33:33.869 --> 00:33:36.670 2008 Olympics, he immediately used his $1 million 00:33:36.670 --> 00:33:39.369 bonus from Speedo to start the Michael Phelps 00:33:39.369 --> 00:33:41.650 Foundation, dedicated to promoting healthier 00:33:41.650 --> 00:33:43.730 lifestyles and growing the sport of swimming, 00:33:43.829 --> 00:33:46.069 particularly for children. Can you detail the 00:33:46.069 --> 00:33:48.630 core mechanism of his foundation's work, the 00:33:48.630 --> 00:33:51.309 IMM Program? The IMM Program, which stands for 00:33:51.309 --> 00:33:53.470 IMM, is a curriculum developed in collaboration 00:33:53.470 --> 00:33:55.849 with organizations like the Boys and Girls Clubs 00:33:55.849 --> 00:33:59.079 and Special Olympics International. The focus 00:33:59.079 --> 00:34:02.640 is on three key areas, active lifestyles, goal 00:34:02.640 --> 00:34:05.000 setting, and water safety. So it's basically 00:34:05.000 --> 00:34:07.859 his life structure packaged. It's essentially 00:34:07.859 --> 00:34:10.219 an adaptation of the rigorous discipline structure 00:34:10.219 --> 00:34:12.820 he learned from Bowman. It teaches children to 00:34:12.820 --> 00:34:14.699 set achievable goals and track their progress, 00:34:14.860 --> 00:34:17.239 using swimming as the core mechanism for discipline 00:34:17.239 --> 00:34:20.000 and health. It's the institutionalized legacy 00:34:20.000 --> 00:34:22.400 of his competitive methodology. And his own public 00:34:22.400 --> 00:34:25.179 journey with depression and ADHD has led to formal 00:34:25.179 --> 00:34:28.230 recognition of his advocacy work. It has. He's 00:34:28.230 --> 00:34:30.449 moved beyond just sharing his story. He's actively 00:34:30.449 --> 00:34:33.909 engaging in the solution. In 2017, he joined 00:34:33.909 --> 00:34:36.510 the board of Medibio, a company focusing on the 00:34:36.510 --> 00:34:38.469 objective diagnosis of mental health disorders, 00:34:38.909 --> 00:34:41.230 lending his considerable voice and experience 00:34:41.230 --> 00:34:44.969 to science. And in 2019, he received the Morton 00:34:44.969 --> 00:34:47.289 E. Ruderman Award in Inclusion, specifically 00:34:47.289 --> 00:34:49.869 recognizing his courageous advocacy for people 00:34:49.869 --> 00:34:52.530 with disabilities and his incredibly public journey 00:34:52.530 --> 00:34:54.949 with mental health struggles. This final phase, 00:34:55.190 --> 00:34:57.590 where the former solitary man becomes an outspoken 00:34:57.590 --> 00:35:00.170 advocate, provides a powerful and redemptive 00:35:00.170 --> 00:35:03.170 context to his entire career arc. Hashtag out 00:35:03.170 --> 00:35:05.650 -attratation. So we've traced the arc of Michael 00:35:05.650 --> 00:35:07.869 Phelps from a hyperactive nine -year -old dealing 00:35:07.869 --> 00:35:10.170 with a parental divorce and an ADHD diagnosis, 00:35:10.309 --> 00:35:13.590 all the way through two definitive failed retirements 00:35:13.590 --> 00:35:16.289 and two career -defining comebacks, ultimately 00:35:16.289 --> 00:35:18.809 culminating in global advocacy. The key takeaways 00:35:18.809 --> 00:35:21.320 are just striking. The unparalleled medal count, 00:35:21.480 --> 00:35:24.420 28 total, achieved not just through raw talent 00:35:24.420 --> 00:35:27.500 but relentless consistency. The pivotal, decades 00:35:27.500 --> 00:35:29.639 -long drill sergeant relationship with Coach 00:35:29.639 --> 00:35:32.039 Bowman, which provided the vital structure needed 00:35:32.039 --> 00:35:34.539 to manage his unique physiology and psychology. 00:35:34.960 --> 00:35:37.179 And the resilience. And the sheer resilience 00:35:37.179 --> 00:35:39.739 demonstrated by pushing past personal struggles, 00:35:39.920 --> 00:35:42.719 legal issues, depression, and contemplating suicide 00:35:42.719 --> 00:35:45.920 to find redemption and reach new athletic heights 00:35:45.920 --> 00:35:48.800 in Rio. It's that final transformation that really 00:35:48.800 --> 00:35:51.489 matters most. most, I think. Bowman himself noted 00:35:51.489 --> 00:35:53.869 that while Phelps was a solitary man with a rigid 00:35:53.869 --> 00:35:56.630 focus before a race epitomized by that hashtag 00:35:56.630 --> 00:35:58.949 Phelps face afterward, he was an unbelievably 00:35:58.949 --> 00:36:13.800 kind -hearted person. And that leads us to our 00:36:13.800 --> 00:36:16.239 final thought for you, the listener. Considering 00:36:16.239 --> 00:36:18.780 his record -breaking longevity and success achieved 00:36:18.780 --> 00:36:21.139 despite battles with ADHD, depression, and two 00:36:21.139 --> 00:36:24.019 failed retirements, we have to ask, what quality 00:36:24.019 --> 00:36:26.400 raw genetic talent like his wingspan and large 00:36:26.400 --> 00:36:28.460 feet, the discipline, almost military -grade 00:36:28.460 --> 00:36:31.280 training instilled by Coach... Bowman, or that 00:36:31.280 --> 00:36:33.500 sheer emotional motivation, you know, fueled 00:36:33.500 --> 00:36:35.920 by rivals like Thorpe, Bernard, and Leivich, 00:36:36.000 --> 00:36:38.219 or maybe just the internal need for structure, 00:36:38.400 --> 00:36:40.440 what was the ultimate driving force behind his 00:36:40.440 --> 00:36:43.300 unmatched career? Phelps tapped into all three 00:36:43.300 --> 00:36:45.019 at various stages, but which one do you believe 00:36:45.019 --> 00:36:47.340 sustained him across five Olympic cycles and 00:36:47.340 --> 00:36:49.420 made him the greatest racer who ever walked the 00:36:49.420 --> 00:36:49.719 planet?