“Everyone Pushed Past Me and Surrounded Him”: Michael Phelps Once Recalled Being Ignored by Fans for a Bigger Swimming Icon

Sports fans usually don’t affect an athlete’s physical ability. However, they can boost or hinder concentration and potentially make or break some pros’ psyches. The legendary swimmer Michael Phelps, who has won 28 Olympics medals, and like any other athlete’s career, fans played an important role in his too.

Many swimmers gave a tough competition to Michael. Still, he did his best to conquer the world of swimming. However, once the Baltimore Bullet revealed the ignorance, he faced from his fans. 

People ignoring Michael Phelps

In his book, Beneath the Surface, Michael quoted about the time people ignored him for another athlete. Michael learned the value of managing their emotions rather than suppressing them via his rocky journey to being the champion swimmer.

He penned, “Afterward, I got onto a bus that was nearly empty. The only other swimmer I recall being on the bus with me was Ian Thorpe. We had a really good conversation, and I remember how much I liked talking to him. At one point he told me, ‘If you ever want to train together, I’d be more than happy to welcome you in Australia.’ Really? I was thrilled. Training with Ian? Wow, what an opportunity. I’d learn so much. ‘And you can train with us in Baltimore, too,’ I told him. Ian was like a rock star at that meet.”

READ MORE: “Faster Than..My Body Could Handle”: Michael Phelps Opened Up on Struggles With His Rare Body in His Biography

Further, Phelps wrote about the impression the athlete left on everyone. He wrote, “He had left such a good impression with the Japanese people when we were in Fukuoka the year before, and when we got off the bus, everyone pushed past me and surrounded him. He was definitely still the man.” Almost every athlete has likely dealt with harm, whether physically or mentally, in some capacity.

Phelps’ chaotic swimming career

Michael overcame several setbacks, yet this did not prevent him from succeeding. According to Michael, an athlete’s recovery and mentality throughout an injury prepare them for future challenges in their profession. In addition, Michael also related the time he accepted an invitation to attend an orientation camp in Colorado. The exciting fact at that time was his age. He was only 14-year-old that time. Before the base started, a drug test was required. His heart began to race shortly after the test.

After a while, Phelps told his coach, who advised consulting a physician or any doctor nearby. Michael and his coach recognized the symptoms of Marfan Syndrome. Marfan Syndrome is a connective tissue disorder that can be fatal if it leaks into the blood arteries that supply the heart. After this, Michael recovered fast and worked on his health.

WATCH THIS STORY: Resurfaced video shows Michael Phelps Race of the century with Ian Thorpe, Pieter Van Den Hoogenband’s at 2004 Athens Olympics