How many medals has Michael Phelps won?
By John Buhler
United States swimmer Michael Phelps has won a ton of Olympic medals in the last 12 years. Just how many medals has Phelps earned in his swimming career?
United States swimmer Michael Phelps is the most decorated athlete in Olympic history. The 31-year-old has both more medals (22) and Olympic golds (18) than any athlete ever. Given that Phelps has qualified for the 2016 Rio Games, he has a great opportunity to expand on both of his medal counts.
In three Summer Olympic Games (2004 in Athens, Greece, 2008 in Beijing, China, and 2012 in London, United Kingdom), Phelps has dominated in both individual swimming events and as a crucial part of relays.
His two best strokes are freestyle and butterfly. Phelps also thrives in the individual medley. Of his 18 Olympic gold medals, 11 have come in individual events. He won six gold medals in the 2004 Athens Games (100 m butterfly, 200 m butterfly, 200 m medley, 400 m medley, 4×200 m freestyle, 4×100 m medley) and took home two bronze medals (200 m freestyle, 4×100 m freestyle).
In the 2008 Beijing Games, Phelps broke American swimmer Mark Spitz’s record for most Olympic gold medals in a single Games with eight. Phelps won gold in the 200 m freestyle, the 100 m butterfly, the 200 m butterfly, the 200 m medley, the 400 m medley, the 4×100 m freestyle, the 4×200 m freestyle, and the 4×100 m medley.
Phelps continued his aquatic dominance in the 2012 London Games, winning four more gold medals and earning two silver medals. He won gold in the 100 m butterfly, the 200 m medley, the 4×200 m freestyle, and the 4×100 m medley. Phelps took home silver in the 200 m butterfly and in the 4×100 m freestyle.
Phelps briefly went into retirement after the 2012 London Games, but got back into competitive swimming in 2014, winning three gold medals and two silver medals in the Pan Pacific Championships.
Next: Best Starting Pitchers in MLB History
Medaling in individual freestyle events might be a struggle for the veteran swimmer this summer, but his dominance of butterfly could help him capture additional medals in both butterfly and individual medleys.
The United States also does a phenomenal job of putting aging swimmers on stacked relay teams to increase their athletes’ all-time medal counts. Expect Phelps to gain a few more medals in the Rio Games, maybe even a few more gold for the greatest Olympian of all-time.
For more 2016 Rio Olympics coverage, please check out our 2016 Rio Olympics category page.