“Felt like we had 50 lbs weight taken off our shoulders” – When Michael Phelps opened up about his ‘adult conversation’ with father 

Michael Phelps is the greatest swimmer ever and he has the silverware to prove it. His 28 Olympic medals also make him the most decorated Olympian in history. Phelps is a household name around the world owing to his accolades.

Phelps is considered a living legend and his lifestyle is one that many can only dream of. He now leads a happy life with his wife and three children. However, Phelps’ life has never been smooth. The athlete has struggled growing up and his father was away for a large part of his life.

Michael Phelps recently revealed that he patched up his relationship with his father, Fred Phelps. The swimmer said that he is now in talks with him. However, it hasn’t always been the same. Phelps’ parents went through a divorce when he was nine and the athlete was brought up by his mother, Deborah Phelps.

Speaking about his relationship with his father, Michael Phelps revealed that they never had a conversation for around 20 years. The Olympian said that he met his father during his recovery program. He added that he had a conversation as suggested by his therapist and it helped their relationship.

Opening up to Tony Robbins about his meeting with his father, Michael Phelps said:

“That was probably the first time I had a face-to-face conversation with my father. It was in an environment that was controlled and we couldn’t blow up and get hot-headed, just explode on each other. That was so beneficial for where our relationship has grown since then.”

Phelps said that the experience was freeing up. He said that the duo spoke about their feelings to one another.

He added:

“I didn’t want to invite him, but my therapist told me to invite him… He came, he showed up and I was very surprised and we were able to get a lot off our chest, almost compartmentalized 15-20 years of pain we both suffered… I think one of the things I learned is, he did the best he could… We talked about things that frustrated me growing up.”

He added:

“I remember when I set my very first American record... it was in Baltimore, he said he would come and he never showed. I brought that up... Sitting there going back and forth… We were able to kind of breath and almost felt like we had 50 lbs weight taken off our shoulders. I was like ‘Wow, this is an easier way of living, it’s so much simpler just opening up and communicating.

"It's been really great for our relationship to be able to have these talking boundaries we use… help us have an adult conversation.”

Phelps said that he was now closer to his father. He added that they were on talking terms but it was up to the swimmer's choice.

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Michael Phelps talks about growing up without his father

This isn’t the first time Michael Phelps has opened up about his father. Speaking in an interview with Sports Illustrated, Phelps revealed that it was hard for him to grow up with a father. The legendary athlete said that he considered his coach Bob Bowman and his agent Peter Carlisle to be father figures.

Phelps revealed that he went through multiple tough days as a child. He said that he learnt to accept everything at an early age and channelized his energy into athletics. It’s safe to say that things turned out for good as he went on to become the GOAT in swimming.