Michael Phelps and world records go hand in hand. At the tender age of 17, little did Phelps know that his 400 IM run at the 2002 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Fort Lauderdale, Florida would remain unbeatable for decades. Reminiscing the phenomenal feat, fans pay a creative tribute to the Baltimore Bullet with reference to different sporting greats across the world.

Clocking a mind-boggling time of 4:11:09, the 23-time Olympic gold medalist broke the world record that was held by Tom Dolan for nearly eight years. The Instagram post rejoicing the long-standing world record takes one down a nostalgic ride recalling the NBA legend, LeBron James, soccer icon, Lionel Messi, and NFL superstar Tom Brady while Phelps was swimming to create his personal best.

Rewind to the iconic moment in 2002 scripted by Michael Phelps

Deviating from the routine, a fan gave a different perspective by making comparisons with legendary sports persons. Taking to Instagram, the fan shared several pictures of the swimming legend and captioned, “Here’s what the world looked like the last time Michael Phelps wasn’t the 400 IM world record holder.”

In one of the photos, the Insta post revealed that “LeBron James was in high school” at the time when Phelps owned the record. The then 18-year-old began his professional career a year after Phelps’ run in 2003. Notably, right out of high school, James was the first choice in the NBA Draft and the rest is history.

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Furthermore, the innovative post mentioned the FIFA World Cup 2022 champion, La Pulga. “Lionel Messi was 15 and had scored 0 of his 790 career goals.” Similar to James, Messi began his senior professional career in 2003 and is now regarded as one of the finest ever to play the steep on the field.

The post also gave a shout-out to NFL legend, Tom Brady. “Tom Brady was 6 months removed from his first super bowl win.” The NFL leader made it to the NFL Draft in 2000 after six rejections and now holds every major quarterback record.

“Firing on All Cylinders”: Legendary Coach Bob Bowman Sees Michael Phelps in 20-Year-Old Swimming Sensation

Undoubtedly, the year 2002 witnessed several legends in the making, the sports fraternity would eventually swell with pride about. The 28-time Olympic medalist swam his world-record run on August 15, 2002, and did it multiple times from 2002 to 2008. However, he is “still the one to hold the record.”

Watch This Story: This Highschool Kid Breaks the Pool Record of Swimming Goat Michael Phelps in 100-Yard Backstroke

If one is wondering why this news is making rounds now, well, fans don’t need a reason to celebrate sports. After all, the world of sports is incomplete without fans’ love and support. Ain’t it true? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!