Michael Fred Phelps (born June 30, 1985) is an Americanswimmer and 14-time Olympic gold medallist (the mostby any Olympian), who currently holds seven worldrecords in swimming. He holds the record for the mostgold medals won at a single Olympics; a total of eight,surpassing Mark Spitz, also a swimmer. Overall, Phelpshas won 16 Olympic medals: six gold and two bronze atAthens in 2004, and eight gold at the 2008 SummerOlympics in Beijing