Swimming legend Michael Phelps is the definition of dedication and grit. He is the true embodiment of greatness and has redefined the sport every time he dove into a pool. With a staggering 23 golds out of 28 Olympic medals, Phelps is the true superstar of the sport. He has since become a household name and a prominent advocate for mental health issues.

When competing at the highest level, things don’t go smoothly every time. People sometimes run into troubles that are beyond their control. A similar event happened with Phelps, but he stood tall and won big!

Michael Phelps recalled the 2008 200m fly race

2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016 are the years Phelps asserted his dominance at the Olympics. The ‘swimming GOAT’ won eight medals at the Athens Games, eight at the Beijing Games, and six at the London Games. It was in the London games Phelps became the most decorated Olympian of all time. With a further six medals at the Rio Olympics, Phelps was simply in competition with himself.

With so many races under his belt, it is a given not everything went right every time. Phelps ran into trouble in the middle of a race multiple times, but the swimmer overcame almost every time. Speaking about one such incident, Phelps said the key to winning was visualizing. “I was taught at a very young age to visualize. So for me, it was visualizing a race.”

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Phelps added, “It’s how I wanted it to go, how I didn’t want it to go, and how it could go.” Recalling a race from the 2008 Olympics, he said, “So, in 2008, when my goggles filled up with water, I was relaxed because I reverted back to my training. I swam blind for a 175m out of a 200m fly, won gold, and broke the world record.”

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This is how good Michael was. To swim more than three-fourths of a race-blind and still win the race is a monumental accomplishment. Add to it breaking the World Record; it is the stuff of dreams. But the ‘The Baltimore Bullet’ made it a reality as he achieved the feat.

The ‘Golden’ Olympics for Phelps

The 2008 Beijing Olympics marked the perfect games for Phelps. Not only did he win gold in the 200m fly event, but he also won gold in every event he took part in. August 2008 saw Olympic history being made, which might never repeat. Every person inside the stadium was up on their feet, applauding the historic feat they witnessed.

Upon winning his 8th medal, Phelps became the first individual ever to win eight gold medals at the same games. By doing so, he overtook fellow countryman Mark Spitz’s record set at the 1972 Munich Games.

WATCH: 15-Year-Old Michael Phelps Stunned the World With His First 200m Performance at Olympics

From being a 15-year-old debutant to retiring as the most decorated Olympian of all time, Phelps definitely is one of the finest athletes, the sport of swimming has ever seen.