Michael Phelps

American swimmer Michael Phelps holds World Records in several events. At the age of 15, he competed at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney as the youngest American male swimmer at an Olympic Games in 68 years. While he did not win a medal, he was fifth in the 200 m Butterfly. Michael proceeded to make a name for himself when he won eight medals at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, six of which were gold, which tied the record for medals at a single Olympics, a record that had been held by Alexander Dityatin since 1980. This 23-year-old swimmer's international titles, along with his various world records, have resulted in his being named World Swimmer of the Year in 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2007.

(Click Photos for Larger Images)