With a record haul of 28 medals in the Olympics alone, Michael Phelps is, by far, the winningest athlete of all time. Moreover, the swimmer has a prolific history in the World Championships with 33 medals. These two feats alone make him the most decorated athlete of all time.
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Phelps’ achievements in the pool led to a string of events that would ultimately find the swimmer receiving one of the highest honors for athletes.
Michael Phelps shares a picture of his family at the USOP Hall of Fame venue
In May, the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) announced the list of nominees for induction into the Hall of Fame, Class of 2022. The list included an Olympian the crowd was familiar with till his final retirement from the sport in 2016. The athlete in question is none other than Phelps himself.
At the beginning of the month, the committee released the names of the finalists for the induction ceremony. And the list contained Phelps’ name in it. His name appeared alongside prominent athletes, including Lindsey Vonn, Natalie Coughlin, and Michelle Kwan.
Phelps attended the induction ceremony along with the other finalists on June 24. However, the swimmer did not go to the ceremony alone. He brought his family along for the ceremony. It included his wife, Nicole Johnson, and three sons, Boomer, Beckett, and Maverick. Moreover, his mother, Debbie Phelps, and in-laws, Richard Johnson and Annette Johnson Coss were also present at the event to cheer him on.
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After the ceremony, they got together for an exclusive family photo. Phelps has shared the picture on his Instagram account since. It features the whole family, whose joy is apparent from their smiles. The Baltimore Bullet stood at the center of the photograph, holding the award presented to him during the ceremony.
It was a rare occasion for the family, as people seldom see the whole family come together to celebrate an occasion owing to their busy schedules.
The caption of the post read, “What a night!!! Humbled and honored to be inducted into the United States Olympic and Paralympic HOF. Thanks to all who voted for me Congrats to my other classmates. Class of 2022!!!”
The records held by the most decorated Olympian
The Flying Fish has other feats to add to his list of accolades. When he was swimming competitively, the swimmer broke several world records. Although his peers and successors have surpassed most of these records, one has stood the test of time.
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DIVE DEEPER- Swimming Legend Michael Phelps Once Broke a 2168-year-old Record
It is the 400m Individual Medley event, which Phelps clocked at 4:03:84. Currently, this record is the longest-standing in swimming history. Former records that the Olympian achieved during his career include the 200m free, 100m fly, 200m fly, and 200m IM events.