Years After Becoming the Most Decorated Olympian Ever, Michael Phelps Revisits His ‘Epic’ First and Last Olympic Memories

Legendary Swimmer Michael Phelps is regarded as one of the greatest swimmers of all time. He ruled the waters of the Olympic pool for 16 years. But nearly a decade after his retirement, Phelps seems to be in a nostalgic mode recently. From remembering an iconic podium finish a few days back to reflecting on his Olympic journey today, Phelps has been taking too many trips down memory lane lately.

Earlier today, the swimming Legend took to his Instagram to relive the memories of his first and last Olympic games. The video shared by Phelps commemorated the events, their location, his timing and position in his favorite race.

Michael Phelps reminisces about the past

23x Olympic gold medalist, Michael Phelps’s career spanned over one and a half decades. Recently, the official Instagram account of retro swimming history took to its handle to celebrate the legend. Michael Phelps reshared the post on his story with the caption, “EPIC.” Remembering the golden days, he further added, “Lots of memories from these from these two!!”

The two Olympic games mentioned in Pehlps’ caption and the video were his first and his last Olympics. Phelps made his Olympics debut in the year 2000 in Sydney. He was just 15 at the time. Though he didn’t claim a podium finish that year, he did clock in a remarkable 1:56.50 finishing 5th. This time was recorded in what will eventually be known as his prime race, the 200m butterfly.

Read More: Just One Win Away, Michael Phelps’ World Championships Record Under Threat by Katie Ledecky

The second clip was of the same race but from the 2016 Olympics held in Rio de Janeiro. At the age of 31, Phelps drew the curtains to his decorated career by finishing first at a record speed of 1:53.36. The two clips played simultaneously in the video, showcasing Phelps’ brilliant growth in his fifth Olympics. Just like today, a few days back, Phelps had shared yet another memorable moment from his decorated career.

Baltimore Bullet’s Blast from the Past

Earlier this month, Phelps shared a picture wherein he was sharing the podium with fellow swimmers Ryan Lochte and Luca Marin. The photo was from the 2007 World Championship held in Melbourne, Australia. It featured the medal ceremony of the race wherein Phelps, Lochte, and Marin had secured gold, silver, and bronze medals, respectively.

The photo was first shared by Marin on 1st April 2022. Phelps reposted the photo on 1st April 2023 remembering the championship held on the same date, 16 years ago. Adding a caption, he wrote, “Blast from the past! Loved it.” It is understandable why Phelps would’ve loved the tournament since it’s the one where he broke 5 world records and clinched 7 gold medals.

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From the beginning to the end and everything in between, April 2023 looks like a #ThrowbackThursday month for the swimming Legend.