“I don’t want bulls**t ribbon” - When Michael Phelps returned to training day after missing medal at maiden Olympics

Michael Phelps once reflected on how narrowly missing the podium at his debut Olympics inspired him to return to training the very next day after competing in the men’s 200m butterfly. He made his Olympic debut at just 15 at the 2000 Sydney Games.

Swimming the men’s 200m butterfly finals on September 19, he finished fifth with a time of 1:56.50, missing the podium by just 0.33 seconds as Australia’s Justin Norris earned the bronze medal with a then-Oceanian record of 1:56.17. Phelps expressed his disappointment with his performance which drove him to return to training the very next day while most swimmers prefer to take a break.

In an interaction on The Tony Robbins Podcast with author and motivational speaker Tony Robbins released in June 2020, Michael Phelps shared how he didn’t want to take the recognition for showing up but wanted a real victory. He said (9:20 onwards):

“After going my first Olympics in 2000 when I was 15, I decided to not take a break afterwards and kind of get right back into it because I was upset with my performance. I got fifth and 15 yeah it's great but I mean let's be honest I don't want to come back with a participation ribbon, I want to come back with real hardware. I don't want this bulls**t ribbon.

He added:

So, I was pissed about it. We got back in the water the next day, everyone else took like a month or two off.”

He further recalled how his coach Bob Bowman noted ‘WR’ on his first workout after the Olympics. After Michael Phelps questioned him about it, Bowman confidently told him that they would break the world record in six months.

Just over six months later on March 30, the now-most decorated Olympian in history shattered his first-ever world record in the 200m butterfly at the 2001 US Championships held for the Worlds with a remarkable 1:54.92.

Michael Phelps opened up on athletes competing at young age in Olympics by sharing his own experience

Michael Phelps at the 2025 SheBelieves Cup (Photo by Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

Michael Phelps reflected on young athletes at the Olympic Games by sharing his own experience of participating at a young age. Although he admitted that having more experience earlier would have helped before his first Olympics, his early experience of the games allowed him to learn and progress in future editions.

He went on to say that if young athletes are ready and talented enough for the stage, there is no issue with them competing early. In an interview with GQ Australia taken in August 2024, he stated:

“That was the first time for me out of the country, my first national team trip. I was a deer in headlights. I had no idea what was going on, but that moment gave me so much knowledge to really be able to move forward through the rest of my four Olympic games. So if this is something that these kids are extremely passionate about and they're good enough to be here, why not?”

He also described the "craziest" part of competing at the 2000 Sydney Olympics as racing against seasoned competitors who were not only stronger and more experienced but more accustomed to the environment than he was.