How fast can Michael Phelps swim?

Michael Fred Phelps II is one the most decorated Olympic swimmer of all time with a total of 28 Olympic medals. Among those 28 medals, 23 of them are gold which he has won over five Olympic Games. Phelps is known for his expertise in butterfly, individual medleys, and freestyle events. He retired after he competed in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games where he secured five gold medals and a silver medal. Michael Phelps was born in Towson, Maryland, on June 30, 1985. He was born to Fred and Debbie Phelps.

Initially, he was fearful to even put his face in the water. This changed when he joined the North Baltimore Athletic Club where he met coach Bob Bowman. Phelps first qualified for the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics at just 15. He qualified for the 200-meter butterfly and became the youngest male Olympian in the US in nearly 70 years. He finished fifth but was inspired by the Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe. He broke his first world record in the 200-meter butterfly at the Phillips 66 Nationals in 2001 becoming the youngest male swimmer to do so.

Phelps earned six gold and two bronze medals at the 2004 Athens Olympics which included a record-setting win in the 400-meter individual medley. He ended up third in the 200-meter freestyle behind Ian Thorpe and Pieter van de Hoogenband. He won seven events among those seven five in world record time at the World Championship in 2007. Phelps set the goal to break Mark Spitz's record of seven gold medals in a single Olympics which he achieved in the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. He won eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics which included a controversial win in the 100-meter butterfly by 0.01 second over Milorad Čavić. He won six medals at the 2009 World Championships despite controversies and setbacks. At the 2011 World Championship, he earned four golds and two silvers. In the 2012 London Olympics, he became the most renowned Olympian of all time by winning six medals bringing his total to 22. Phelps added five gold medals and one silver medal to his name in the 2016 Rio Olympics making him the first swimmer to win Olympic gold in the same events (200 meters) in four consecutive games. His final Olympic race was the 400-meter medley where Team USA won a gold medal. After two days of the Rio Olympics, Phelps finally announced his retirement.

How fast does Michael Phelps swim?

Micheal Phelps, a renowned Olympian, has been recorded as swimming at speeds up to six miles per hour (mph) in freestyle at his peak according to an off-the-record claim by ESPN in 2010.

Phelps's average swimming speed has been around 4.5 mph throughout his career. This consistency has been a key factor in his success. Phelp maintained his pace which helped him secure numerous victories. This pace may seem ordinary for a mere human but an average human can swim up to 2mph.

Michael Phelps' Age

Michael Phelps' was born on June 30, 1985, and is presently 39 years old ( as of April 2024).

Michael Phelps' Height

Michael Phelps' is 6 feet 4 inches or 1.93 meters tall.

Michael Phelps' Weight

Michael Phelps' weighs around 194 lbs or 88 kg.

Michael Phelps’s Personal best

Long Course (50 meters)

Short Course (25 Meter)