“Broke Like 200..”- Michael Phelps Was Just 8 When He Started Breaking National Swimming Records

One can easily describe Michael Phelps as the first true ‘superstar’ in the world of swimming. Much like Tiger Woods or Usain Bolt, he has become a household name. If you’re a swimmer or aspire to become one, Phelps is sure to be an idol or a source of motivation for you.

With 23 Olympic golds and 28 Olympic medals in total, Michael is the most decorated Olympian ever. But where did it all start for the ‘Baltimore Bullet’?

Michael Phelps talks about his early days in Swimming

Chris Paul, widely regarded as one of the best Point Guards in the history of the NBA, is a current member of the Phoenix Suns roster. Apart from Basketball, the star has been busy building a business empire. In his talk show ‘How I Got Here,‘ Chris meets with people from different sports, businesses, and other backgrounds to take advice and learn from them.

Michael Phelps appeared on the show as the two athletes discussed swimming. Chris asked Michael when he started knowing that he was “nice (in swimming) ?”

To which Michael replied, ” I was breaking national age-group records from the age of 8 on.” The national age-group records are the fastest time taken to swim the distance in a particular age group. “I probably broke like 200 age group records,” he added.

Read More: Why Did Michael Phelps Choose Not To Defend His Gold At Tokyo Olympics 2020?

When Phelps was aged 15-16, he was breaking the Open records, which meant that he would qualify for the Olympics. This is a true testament to the swimming great’s prowess as he broke almost all the records in the sport. 

Phelps’ love for Golf

While Swimming and Michael Phelps might have become synonymous with one another, there is another sport he loves. Golf is a sport he is often seen playing. In fact, Phelps holds the record for the longest televised putt in the game’s history. He also takes part in a lot of golf tournaments, such as the Pro-Am tournament.

Phelps is such a big fanatic of the two sports that he’s combined his love for both. The golf clubs he uses are evident of the same. The stamp on his wedge has 28 stars, each symbolizing a medal that Michael has won at the Olympics. Phelps has also shown his interest in baseball and lacrosse.

Watch this Story: 15-Year-Old Michael Phelps Stunned the World With His First 200m Performance at Olympics

It’s a relief that Phelps chose swimming as his primary sport or else we may not have been able to witness the genius that he is.