Michael Phelps from the USA celebrates winning gol

When Michael Phelps qualified for his first Olympics in 2000-"I had to remove my googles to make sure I was seeing it correctly"

Modified Jun 18, 2024 17:06 GMT

Michael Phelps, the greatest Olympian of all time, once shared how he was dumbfounded after seeing himself on the 2000 Summer Olympics team. In his book, 'Beneath the Surface', Phelps illustrated his golden swimming career, with the 2000 Summer Games being the first step to success.

Michael Phelps, 38, holds the record for the Olympic gold medals and earned the title of the most decorated Olympian of all time. He has 23 gold medals, of which 13 are from individual events. With eight medals, he tied Alexander Dityatin for the most medals won in a single Olympic edition at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, his breakthrough Summer Games.

In 2008, he broke Mark Spitz's long-standing record (of seven golds) by winning eight golds in a single Olympic Games. The list of laurels got longer with each passing year, but his first Olympic entry in 2000 holds a special place in his heart.

In his book Beneath the Surface, he described how, at the 2000 US Olympic Swim Trials, he could not believe what he saw when he saw his name in second place on the 200-meter butterfly scoreboard.

"Second? But second is on the Olympic team. Really, second? I had to remove my goggles to make sure I was seeing it correctly. Sure enough, there it was on the board," he wrote.

Long-time coach Bob Bowman laid out the strategies for him. According to Bowman, Michael Phelps was supposed to amp up his speed in the last 50 meters, staying within the range in the first 150. However, Phelps was fifth in the first 150 meters. Though it looked like a difficult task, the 28-time Olympic medalist could feel himself swimming faster in the last 50 meters, finishing second in 1:57.48, just behind Tom Malchow (1:56.87).

The then-15-year-old became the youngest male to make his Olympic team, since Ralph Flanagan in 1932. In the finals of the 200-meter butterfly, he placed fifth.

“My son is about to swim" - Michael Phelps on how his mother managed a position to watch her son race in his first Olympic Trials

Swimming - Olympics: Day 8 Michael Phelps' family

Phelps entered the 200-meter butterfly, 200-meter individual medley, and 400-meter individual medley events. According to Bob Bowman, Phelps had a great chance of making it to the 200-meter butterfly team for the Olympics.

Phelps's family watched him compete at the Trials to support him and lift his spirits. It also required a special request from his mother to be allowed to stand in a no-stand area.

"My son is about to swim in the finals of the Olympic trials. Please give me two minutes. After this race, you can do what you need to do," she said to an usher who asked her to move. (via Beneath the Surface)