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Rise of the human dolphin
Kiran Randhawa and Shekhar Bhatia in Beijing12 Aug 2008
He has come a long way from the days when he was bullied endlessly about his oversized ears and lisp.
American swimmer Michael Phelps, who today collected his third gold medal in as many days, was also diagnosed as a child with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, which ended up being a blessing in disguise.
He was prescribed the drug Ritalin and took to swimming, partly because both his sisters were accomplished in the pool, but also to find an outlet for his hyperactivity.
His mother Debbie said: "He never sat still. He never shut up; he would never stop asking questions. He just wanted to go from one thing to another."
Phelps' win in the 200 metres freestyle event means he has the joint highest ever number of gold medals, with nine over two games. But the 23-year-old from Baltimore has not finished. He has a chance at collecting five more this week and beating Mark Spitz's 36-year-old record of seven golds in a single Olympics.
Dubbed the "human dolphin", his success has been put down to his ability to kick like the mammal for 10 metres off each wall, keeping him under water longer than other swimmers. He powers the kick by flexing his body from the stomach down.
This morning's win was typical. He led by a full body length halfway through the second of four laps and was nearly two seconds ahead of the silver medallist when he touched the wall. After receiving his medal he rushed to his sister Hilary, 26, to hand her the flowers with which he had been presented.
When Phelps started swimming at the age of seven, he admits he was afraid of putting his face in the water. But former swimming coach Jon Urbanchek said: "When I first saw Michael in 1996, I looked at his stroke, I looked at his body type and said, 'This kid is going to be awesome'."
At nine, Phelps' parents divorced and while his relationship with his father, Fred, a former Maryland state trooper, remains strained, he adores his teacher mother, Debbie, who brought him and his sisters up on her own.
By 16 he was a professional with little time for life outside the pool. He describes his leisure time as made up of "normal boring things" including looking after his bulldog Hermann, playing video games and sleeping.
There is little surprise that Phelps has little time for life outside sport: his training regime involves swimming 80,000 metres every week - a distance of 50 miles - as well as weight lifting and other exercises.
His ninth gold today puts him in the record books with sprinter Carl Lewis, Soviet gymnast Larysa Latynina and Finnish runner Paavo Nurmi.Tomorrow, he competes in the finals of the 200m butterfly and 800m free relay.
Reader views (4)
"He never sat still. He never shut up; he would never stop asking questions. He just wanted to go from one thing to another."
That's what kids are supposed to do. When they don't, parents run to doctors and complain that their kids are detached, depressed and un-engaged.
- John, Northampton, USA, 12/08/2008 16:02
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Go Michael Phelps! I believe that he will become the greatest Olympian of all time during these games! What a step forward for humankind, regardless of race or country, Michael raises the bar for human potential!
- Jim Young, Sacramento, Califonia, USA, 12/08/2008 15:48
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Good for Michael. I love to see the U.S. do well and a love to see a person overcome a so called ADHD disability. Way to go Mike!
- Rob, Boston, U.S., 12/08/2008 15:44
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Nice article. Go USA! Go Phelps!
- James Crabtree, New Castle, Indiana, 12/08/2008 15:42
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