“It Wasn’t Ideal”- Michael Phelps Had a Hard Time Surviving Childhood Without His Father

If you would ask Michael Phelps, one of the greatest swimmers of all time, about his secret to success and glory, he would probably say his family had a significant role in it. Perhaps the family is what lies at the core of most individuals’ lives. However, the relationship you have with each member is likely to be different. Here’s what Phelps has to say about his relationship with his father, Fred Phelps.

With three amazing sons and a loving wife, Michael Phelps has an ideal family now. While growing up, his closest friends and mentor were his two older sisters, and it was because of them that he entered swimming. Furthermore, his mother was always there as well. Be it training or international competitions, she was always watching over her champion son. However, his relationship with his dad was not as great as the rest of his family members.

Michael Phelps talks about his relationship with his dad

Phelps’ parents broke up when he was nine, and their divorce meant he can’t be with both of them. In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Phelps said, “For me, not having a father always there was hard. I had Bob [Bowman], and I had Peter [Carlisle], these guys who acted as father figures. But deep down, inside, it was hard.”

However, even as a child, Michael Phelps accepted everything and focused on what he could control and not on what he could not. He further added, “Is my family perfect? Far from it. My parents had issues where they thought it was healthy to split. It wasn’t ideal. It wasn’t easy. But what we went through as kids made us as strong as we are.”

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Hard times raise strong men

As a child, the swimming legend went through multiple tough days. However, instead of whining about it, he channelized his energy into swimming and became the best in the sport.

Perhaps the phrase ‘hard times raise strong men’ fits perfectly on swimming legend Michael Phelps.

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