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WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 28: American swimmer and Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps testifies during a hearing before the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of House Energy and Commerce Committee February 28, 2017 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The subcommittee held a hearing on “Ways to Improve and Strengthen the International Anti-Doping System.” (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
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WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 28: American swimmer and Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps testifies during a hearing before the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of House Energy and Commerce Committee February 28, 2017 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The subcommittee held a hearing on “Ways to Improve and Strengthen the International Anti-Doping System.” (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Arguably the greatest Olympian of all time, Michael Phelps dominated four Olympic Games. He won 23 gold medals in these four Olympic games out of the total 28 he has won. It is just an incredible feat, as achieving this feat would take a superhuman effort. However, in a recent interview, he spoke about the most disappointing Olympics he had.
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In a recent conversation with the GOAT, he opened up on the 2012 London Olympics, being the only one that could have gotten better. He won four gold medals and two silver at the Olympic Games.
Michael Phelps’ had a hard time in 2012
Although winning four gold medals and two silvers is just an extraordinary feat, the bar set by Phelps is just incredible. He won six gold and two bronze medals at the 2004 Athens Olympics, followed by the record-breaking eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. After the 2012 London Olympics, he ended his career on a high with five gold medals and one silver medal. Hence, Phelps talked opened upon the disappointments of the 2012 London Olympics.
“For me, 2012 was one of my most upsetting and disappointing Olympics. I mean, I felt like I failed. But, I got the results that I deserved because I kinda played around and didn’t really prepare myself. So, I got beat. I went slower than I wanted to. But, that was the motivation for me to get back,” said Phelps.
After that Olympics, Phelps retired from swimming because of achieving everything he had to achieve. Hence, he talked about having nothing to prove as he retired from the sport.
“I accomplished every goal I ever wanted to … I’ve done everything I ever wanted to do … and, at that point, it’s just time to move on,” mentioned Phelps.
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RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – AUGUST 13: Michael Phelps of the United States thanks the crowd after winning gold in the Men’s 4 x 100m Medley Relay Final on Day 8 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium on August 13, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
The incredible Rio 2016
In that conversation he mentioned, he spoke of that disappointment being “the motivation for me to get back”. That happened during the 2016 Rio Olympics. Along with Phelps, Usain Bolt was competing in his final Olympic Games. He won three gold medals and retired in style. Similarly, Phelps wanted to leave his mark on the grandest stage of them all. Amazingly, he did just that!
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The legacy he leaves in the swimming pool is incredible. If anyone matches his Olympic medals, it would be an achievement to remember for ages. As for now, let’s remember what Michael Phelps did in the swimming pool for nearly two decades.
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