Does Michael Phelps have any tattoos?
Michael Phelps retired from competitive swimming after the 2016 Rio Olympics. Having won more competitions and Olympic gold medals than every other athlete and even most countries, he retired as the most-decorated sportsperson in Olympics history.
While he is the most decorated athlete in the history of the Olympics, does the GOAT swimmer have any ink-based decorations on his body, i.e. tattoos?
The only memorable 'decorations' on Phelps' body are the scars that the swimming legend displayed on his shoulders and back from an alternative procedure called 'cupping'.
At the 2016 Olympics, Phelps' last competition, he sported a bunch of circular, dark, purple spots all over his back, shoulders, and trapezii. This got a lot of people talking, thus perpetuating rumors that Phelps would eventually cover his whole back with tattoos!
According to a report in The Guardian, this led to a spike in interest in cupping therapy!
Well, this story does not just stop here! It turns out that Phelps has two tattoos of his own (that we know of)!
The Olympic rings
This is the relatively 'common' one of the two. It is a great achievement to be called up to represent one's country at the Olympics. Many athletes, including Sam Mikulak, Brady Ellison, Perry Baker, and Phelps' teammate Ryan Lochte, all have the famous rings tattooed on their bodies.
Similarly, Phelps has gotten the Olympic rings tattooed low on his right hip. The tattoo mostly goes unnoticed because of its location, but glimpses of it can be seen right above his swimming trunks!
The 'M'
The American superstar has an outline of the letter 'M' tattooed low on his left hip, complimenting the rings on the other side. One other American Olympian sports the letter 'M' on their body: gymnast Sam Mikulak.
While it is well known that Milukak's 'M' stands for 'Michigan', where he won back-to-back NCAA titles, little is known about what Phelps' 'M' stands for. Many speculate that the tattoo symbolizes his home state of Maryland.
Michael Phelps' Career
The American swimmer is the proud owner of 28 Olympic medals. Having won 23 golds at the Summer Games, he holds the record for the most golds won by a single athlete.
He also stands as the most-decorated swimmer in the history of the World Championships, with 26 golds, six silvers, and one bronze.
Michael Phelps, through his career, broke and set 39 world records. Moreover, he has his name listed in the Guinness Book of World Records a total of 20 times. This includes mentions as: 'Most Men's World Swimmer of the Year Awards'.
Michael Phelps is clearly peerless in the world of sports, but he is also very active as a humanitarian. In 2008, Phelps used his $1 million bonus to open the Michael Phelps Foundation.
The foundation focuses on water safety and the promotion of swimming around the globe. He has also been actively spreading awareness about the importance of mental health. He joined the board of an organization that focuses on mental health diagnoses called Medibio, in 2017.
In conclusion, Phelps does not need tattoos to mark his achievements.