Some countries celebrate a few sports with much more enthusiasm than others. And these countries generally perform well in these sports during prominent meets. Michael Phelps said something similar about swimming while appearing on a recent podcast as a guest.

The swimmer has done his bit for the sport’s upliftment in the US. And not just in swimming, he played a key role in raising mental health awareness in sports.

How did Michael Phelps contribute to swimming in the US?

In the podcast, Phelps addressed some issues he faced during his career, including his struggle with mental health. He also spoke about the sport’s competitive aspect and its popularity in some countries. However, the Olympian felt that the same amount of passion is not present for the sport in the nation.

However, the 28-time Olympic medalist has contributed to the sport in more ways than people credit him. Since his record eight-medal haul at the 2008 Olympics, he has worked towards popularizing the sport. He has been successful on that front to a large extent.

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The Baltimore Bullet has familiarized people with swimming to the extent that it has emerged as one of the most popular sports in the US. However, he does not intend to stop there. Phelps wants to take the sport to a higher pedestal in the future.

Speaking about the massive popularity of the sport and its athletes in Australia, the five-time Olympian said, “I went to Australia and spent a tonne of time in Australia throughout my career. And a lot of my closest swimming friends are Australian. How swimming is in Australia? It’s like the NBA, it’s like Major League Baseball.”

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“It’s massive, everybody knows them. So for me, I wanted that here, I want that here,” Phelps added. Satisfied with the country’s progress in swimming, he continued, “I think we’ve come so far in the last two decades.”

Phelps’ major contribution to sports in general

Phelps’ contribution to sports goes beyond swimming. The athlete is an ardent advocate of mental health. He has been vocal regarding the psychological issues experienced by athletes, even when there were a lot of stigmas associated with it.

Although in recent years, people have witnessed more athletes coming forward to speak up about their struggles with mental health, it was not always the case. Athletes are still hesitant to speak about their mental health concerns openly.

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Therefore, Phelps actively supports athletes who have faced the odds to come out with their stories and struggles. Previously, the swimmer expressed his support for Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka when the athletes decided to withdraw from their events in prominent meets.