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LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 04: Michael Phelps of the United States points to the crowd from the podium after he was presented with a special award by FINA for his career achievements on Day 8 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Aquatics Centre on August 4, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 04: Michael Phelps of the United States points to the crowd from the podium after he was presented with a special award by FINA for his career achievements on Day 8 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Aquatics Centre on August 4, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Michael made his debut in 2000 but fizzled in reaching the podium. However, as the year progressed, he began to dominate the pool like no other. After adding five Olympic gold medals to his collection, he retired in 2016.
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Michael Phelps remembers his first gold medal
One of Michael‘s friends recently shared a picture of him on his Instagram story. The picture was taken at the Athens Olympics in 2004. The swimmer’s friend, Darren Rovell, makes a sarcastic remark throughout his story. While making Michael feel old, Darren reminded him of his first gold medal.
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RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – AUGUST 12: Michael Phelps of the United States competes in the Men’s 200m Individual Medley within the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on August 12, 2016.
(Photo by Okan Ozer/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
Darren wrote in his story, “Nothing better than making a friend feel old. @m_phelps00, you are up, my friend.” With this, he also reminded Michael how quickly the years had passed. “18 YEARS AGO TODAY, you won your first of 23 gold medals.” Notably, 18 years have passed since he first won the medal.
When you think of the old days, you may feel emotional and nostalgic. In his remarks, the 37-year-old swimmer expressed his feeling about aging. Resharing the story, he wrote, “Man…..I feel old!!! Much love, homie!!”
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The remarkable legacy of Phelps
After winning his first gold medal, he began swimming like DC’s superhero Flash. During the 2008 Olympics, he broke the record for most gold medals won in one game. His super fast speed set a record-breaking time. After retiring in 2012, he made a comeback in 2014 due to some unfinished business with the pool.
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RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – AUGUST 13: Gold medalist Michael Phelps of the United States poses during the medal ceremony for 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 Al Bello/Getty Images)
As a result of his comeback in 2012, he regained the title for 200 meters. After successfully winning 94 medals in international competitions, he decided to retire. During his post-retirement period, he enjoys playing golf with his wife, Nicole Johnson. He has established his legacy as a successful swimmer, a husband, and a father of three sons.
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WATCH THIS STORY: When Olympic Legends Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps, Serena Williams, and Others Won Their First Gold Medals
