Michael Fred Phelps II (born June 30, 1985) is an American competition
swimmer and the
most decorated Olympian of all time, with a total of 22 medals in three
Olympiads. Phelps also holds the all-time records for Olympic gold medals (18, double the second highest record holders), Olympic gold medals in individual events (11), and Olympic medals in individual events for a male (13). In winning eight gold medals at the
2008 Beijing Games, Phelps took the record away from fellow swimmer
Mark Spitz (7) for the most
first-place finishes at any single Olympic Games. Five of those victories were in individual events, tying the single Games record. In the
2012 Summer Olympics in London, Phelps won four golds and two silver medals, making him the
most successful athlete of the Games for the third Olympics in a row.