August 17th: The Day Michael Phelps Becomes Olympic Champion...8 times!

Michael Phelps: Best Olympic athlete ever!

On August 17th 2008 in the Beijing Summer Olympic Games, Michael Phelps won his eighth gold medal for swimming in the competition. The American became the first athlete ever to win that many medals in a single Olympiad, knocking fellow American Mark Spitz off the Champion's podium, and boasting one more medal than Spitz. This achievement meant Phelps owned a total of 16 Olympic medals (14 of those were gold), and crowned him the most successful athlete of the Games.
   The event that won Phelps the eighth gold medal of Beijing was the 4x100m medley relay, in which he and his teammates (Hansen, Peirsol and Lezak) made a new world record with a time of 3 minutes and 29.34 seconds. Phelps has won numerous awards for his sports achievements, called the sportsman of the year, world's best swimmer etc. The awards commemorate what a phenomenal man Michael Phelps is, and what great talent he holds. After his 22nd Olympic medal in his incredible collection was placed around his neck at this year's London Games, Phelps announced this was his final Olympic Games. But what a career! After his amazing 8 medals in one Olympiad streak in Beijing, Michael decided to set up the Michael Phelps Foundation, aiming to promote swimming and encourage the next generation to live healthier lifestyles.