Fred Michael Phelps (Baltimore, Maryland, June 30, 1985), an American swimmer who has won fourteen gold medals in the Olympic Games. Michael so far has won 8 Gold Medals in Beijing this year .

It was presented at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney as the youngest male swimmer with 15 years of age. Although not won medals in the Olympic Games of 2000, Phelps soon became a name in swimming. Five months after Sydney, Phelps improved plusmarca world 200 metres butterfly and then returned to improve his own record in the World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan (1:54,58). In the 2002 National Championships in Fort Lauderdale, Florida (USA), Phelps also broke the 400 meter world plusmarca styles and national brands of 100 meters and 200 meters butterfly styles.

In 2003, Phelps broke his own world mark of 400 meters styles (4:09,09) and in June the world mark of 200 metres styles (1:56,04). He continued in July 2004, improving its brand new 400 meters world styles (4:08,41) during the Trials for the 2004 Olympic Games.

The domain Phelps has led to comparisons with Mark Spitz, who won 7 gold medals in the Olympic Games of 1972, a global brand. Phelps won 6 gold medals and 2 bronze in 2004 after competing in evidence 8: 100m and 200m butterfly, 200m free, 200m and 400m, 4x100m free, 4x200m free and 4x100m styles.

But now, Phelps is to match Spitz, since in the world swimming Melbourne has already achieved 7 gold medals, equalling the mark of well Spitz. For many, Phelps is the best swimmer of history, despite not having been able to achieve the eighth gold medal to which chose in the swimming world.

Phelps holds world records participate individually 4 and 2 world records in relays in the tests: 200m free (1:43,86) 200m butterfly (1:52,09) 200m styles (1:54,80) 400m styles (4: 06.22) 4x100m free (3:12,46) together with his teammates Walker, Jones and Lezak 4x200m free (7:03,24) together with his teammates Locht, Vanderkaay and Keller

According to a study by ESIrg (Economics, Sport and intangible) of the University of Navarra, Michael Phelps is already the media king of the Olympic Games of Beijing 2008, the number of news generated around the world, after achieving its three first gold medals.

Beijing 2008
Phelps has managed the challenge of obtaining 8 gold medals in the Olympic Games of Beijing 2008. He has succeeded in 14 Olympic gold medals (Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008), becoming considered the best Swimmer of history.