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Michael Phelps: A glittering career Over the course of three Olympics, Michael Phelps broke records that stood for decades on his way to becoming the most decorated Olympian in history. The Baltimore native took home his record 19th medal — and 15th gold — Tuesday as part of the 4x200-meter relay. Phelps has announced he will retire after the London Games.
July 31, 2012
Michael Phelps poses with his gold medal after the men's 4x200-meter freestyle relay swimming final at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
Matt Slocum
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AP
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July 24, 2001
Phelps, right, and fellow American Thomas Malchow, display their gold and silver medals after the men's 200-meter butterfly at the FINA World Swimming Championships in Fukuoka, Japan. Phelps set a world record of 1 minute 54.58 seconds in the race.
Itsuo Inouye
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AP
August 2002
Phelps on his way to winning the men's 200-meter individual medley final at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Yokohama, Japan. Phelps won the race with a record time of 1 minute 59.70 seconds.
Itsuo Inouye
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AP
July 31, 2001
Clarice Daniel, 7, of Belcamp, Md., buries her face and cries in the arms of her sister, Chelsea, in Baltimore after giving Phelps daisies that she had picked for the swimmer. Clarice swims the butterfly and wanted to meet the world-record holder in the event.
Jonathan Newton
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The Washington Post
Aug. 7, 2003
Phelps with his coach, Bob Bowman, after setting a U.S. record in the 200-meter freestyle at the U.S. swimming championships in College Park.
Joel Richardson
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The Washington Post
Aug. 7, 2003
Phelps on his way to a U.S. record of 1 minute 45.99 seconds in the 200-meter freestyle at the U.S. swimming championships in College Park.
Joel Richardson
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The Washington Post
July 10, 2004
Former Olympian Mark Spitz raises Phelps’s hand after Phelps won the men's 200-meter butterfly event at the U.S. Olympic swim trials in Long Beach, Calif.
Mark J. Terrill
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AP
Aug. 18, 2005
Phelps after speaking at Parkside High School in Salisbury, Md. The previous fall, Phelps pleaded guilty to drunken driving. As part of his sentence, he was directed to speak with students at schools.
Matthew S. Gunby
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AP
Aug. 14, 2004
Phelps swims to a gold medal in the 400-meter individual medley at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens. Phelps set a new world record of 4 minutes 08.26 seconds.
Mark Baker
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AP
Aug. 14, 2004
Phelps, right, and U.S. teammate Erik Vendt embrace after finishing first and second, respectively, in the 400-meter individual medley at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.
Mark Terrill
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AP
July 4, 2008
Mark Spitz, winner of seven gold medals at the 1972 Munich Olympics, places the medal for the 200-meter individual medley on Michael Phelps at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials in Omaha. At the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games later that summer, Phelps would break Spitz's mark by winning eight gold medals.
Mark J. Terrill
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AP
Aug. 16, 2008
Phelps, right, beats Serbia's Milorad Cavic to the wall in the men's 100-meter freestyle at the Beijing Olympics.
Greg Baker
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AP
Aug. 11, 2008
Phelps, right, and Garrett Weber-Gale celebrate at the Bejing Olympics after the U.S. men won the 4x100-meter freestyle relay, setting a world record.
Jonathan Newton
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The Washington Post
August 2008
This combination of photos shows Phelps holding each of the eight gold medals he won at the Beijing Olympics.
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AP
Aug. 31, 1972
In August 1972, American swimmer Mark Spitz holds five of the seven gold medals he won at the 1972 Olympics in Munich, Germany, a record not topped until Michael Phelps won eight gold medals at the 2008 Games in Beijing. Spitz, who had won two gold medals at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, earned nine golds altogether in his Olympic career.
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AP
Aug. 17, 2008
Phelps hugs his mom and sisters in the stands after winning one of eight gold medals in Beijing.
Jonathan Newton
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The Washington Post
April 30, 2009
Phelps works out after taking a break from training after the 2008 Games. Phelps does pull-ups while wearing a 35-pound vest as part of his workout.
Jonathan Newton
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The Washington Post
Dec. 20, 2008
Phelps's coach, Bob Bowman, keeps detailed records from all of Phelps's workouts and meets and references them for new workouts as they began to prepare for the London Games.
Jonathan Newton
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The Washington Post
Feb. 16, 2009
Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott holds a press conference in Columbia, S.C., to announce that Phelps would not be charged as a result of a published photograph that shows him smoking from a bong during a November party.
Brett Flashnick
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AP
July 27, 2009
Phelps competes in a men's 200-meter freestyle semifinal at the FINA swimming world championships in Rome.
Michael Sohn
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AP
June 25, 2011
Phelps, right, and teammate Ryan Lochte look at the scoreboard after a men's 200-meter freestyle semifinal at the FINA Swimming world championships in Shanghai.
Eugene Hoshiko
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AP
July 31, 2012
Phelps competes in the men's 4x200-meter freestyle relay final at the Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. The relay victory gave Phelps his record 19th medal.
Mark J. Terrill
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AP
Larisa Latynina of the Soviet Union competes at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. She won the gold medal in the woman's individual gymnastics event and was the most decorated Olympian until Michael Phelps. Latynina — who won 18 medals in the 1956, 1960 and 1964 Olympics — was at the Aquatics Centre in London to watch Phelps, and she says she was happy for him.
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AP
July 31, 2012.
From left, Conor Dwyer, Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte and Ricky Berens pose with their Olympic gold medals after winning in the men's 4x200-meter freestyle relay at the Aquatics Centre in London.
Daniel Ochoa de Olza
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AP
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