Michael Phelps’ Mother Opened Up to Stephen Curry’s Parents About Son Feeling Like ‘Monkey in a Cage’ at the Age of 17

The level of stardom Olympians achieve after having a successful competition is staggering. Some find it hard to handle, while others embrace it. Athletes like Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt were in the spotlight for a long time with their remarkable success. But sometimes, fans forget they are humans like the rest of us. Phelps’ mother recalled the scary moment the teenager faced during the competition. 

Privacy is the key for people, and often fans compare athletes to superhumans. To stay away from the spotlight is difficult for some iconic athletes. Phelps had that moment when he finished a competition when he was 17. His mother, Deborah Phelps, recalled a story where Phelps felt this pressure. 

No privacy for Michael Phelps

In a recent podcast with Stephen Curry’s parents, Dell Curry and Sonya Curry, Debbie threw some limelight on how people swarmed Phelps. A wunderkind back then, it was natural for fans to get a glimpse of the potential superstar. During that event, his mother recalled how people wanted a piece of him. “I remember, in a meet, Michael was 17 years old. Everybody was swarming, swarming, swarming him, and he couldn’t get from the competition pool to the warm-down pool,” mentioned Debbie. 

For a prodigy, to be flooded with people and their attention is natural. But, Phelps felt the pressure and visualized what his career would be after that. After the race, his mother congratulated him on his achievements and offered her appreciation. But while having dinner at night, Phelps opened up on the jittery feeling he had during that moment.

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“You know what I didn’t like mom. No one would give me space.’ He said, ‘Even from point A to point B, I felt like with the chain-link fence around the pool, I felt like a monkey in a cage, and people were flashing pictures at me, and asking for autographs. She continued, It is not like he didn’t want to give it to them. It wasn’t that. You need to have, sometimes just breathe.”

Balancing his fame

For a young person, receiving adulation and support can be overwhelming. Sometimes people love it but certainly not Phelps. Throughout his career, he was in the spotlight, and being able to balance it out deserves a special mention. Control of your mental health is not a straightforward task. Reduction of privacy can lead to increased stress levels.

Phelps felt the pressure related to being crowded. Ms. Phelps put food for thought when she said how people feel entitled to take a picture. Rectifying the problem is necessary, but one cannot do it forcefully. Putting yourself in the same position would help people understand the athletes’ perspective.

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