The other day we discussed Michael Phelps’ Under Armour ad. Phelps, 30, has earned 22 Olympic medals and is the most decorated Olympian in history. If he qualifies at the trials in Omaha, he will also be returning to the Olympics in Rio for the last time. Phelps’ life became messy as a result of some destructive behavior, which manifested itself in his drinking. Phelps was arrested for his second DUI in September 2014. After his arrest, he completed rehab and has remained sober for 18 months. At the US Olympic Committee’s media summit on Tuesday, Phelps opened up about his life in a way he never has before. Here are some highlights:
On his sobriety: “I’m just living a freer, happier life now, and I think it’s something that is a huge change. I don’t feel like I’m carrying weights around anymore. Whatever I’d been holding inside of me, I was able to get it out and was able to start fresh, and that’s a pretty incredible feeling. I see a compete change in my body; a complete change in how I am day to day. Completely clear headed. I don’t have a headache, which is really awesome. All those small things that really add up. … I’m actually happy every day. Able to be productive every day. That’s something I’m able to be very proud of.”
On how he is perceived: “I’m not sure the world has seen who I am. I think you’ve seen me as a swimmer, but not at all as a person. This is an opportunity for me to be myself and, to be quite honest, you have whatever opinion you have of me and that’s fine. I am who I am and I’m not sugar coating.”
On opening up: “I think you saw how difficult it was to not share anything for so many years. When I look in the mirror, I’m still the same person but how I approach things is a little different. I’m a lot more laid back, I’m a lot more open. I keep the most important people closer to me than I ever have before. I actually pick up the phone when somebody calls — that’s a big change. I’m just more engaged in everything I do in my life.”
On why Rio is so important: “I wanted to do it the way I should have done it in 2012. I wanted to prepare for an Olympic Games like I should have… Twenty years later, if I’d looked back to London, I think I would have been disappointed with myself and … that’s something I never wanted to live with.”On his achievements: “I was looking at the medals and I was like, `Wow, that’s pretty cool.’ For the first time, I was able to look back at my career and be really excited and be proud of what I did. Because I never had the chance to do that before.”
[From USA Today and The Washington Post]
The London Olympics sound like a really low-point for Phelps. He refused to train properly saying, “I wanted nothing to do with the sport,” even though he walked away with six medals. When Phelps was diagnosed with ADHD in the fifth grade, he found swimming was a great tool in dealing with the complications of ADHD. My son has ADHD. He was so inspired by Phelps that he took up golf, which he has found he can focus on fully without medication. He is not looking to go down in the golf record books but he has hope that he can further overcome his challenges. We can’t wait to see Phelps swim in Rio, regardless of the end medal count.
Speaking of sons, Michael and his fiancée Nicole’s son will be with them in Rio. Phelps’ told Us Weekly, “One of the coolest things about being a father going into Rio is that our firstborn has the chance to see my last race ever. I think that’s something that’ll be really special that we’ll be able to share stories with him, you know, from the time he gets old enough to realize, and I’m excited to have a lot of photos and just to share the moments and memories with him growing up as a kid.” Junior Phelps will certainly have one heck of a brag book.
Photo credit: WENN Photos and Getty Images
My son really struggled with ADHD and now plays golf, too. We tried baseball and soccer, but my son was too bossy for team sports.:) The pace and mechanics of golf seem to really fit my son’s brain much better. As a mom, it’s such a joy to see my ADHD son be able to focus and relax like he can when he plays golf. I know Phelps is a big golfer as well–I wonder if it appeals to him for the same reasons.
That’s nice!
So nice to hear that Scarlet. My 9 year old has significant ADHD. I am not even joking that it is at the point of a disability. It is truly that severe. We are just getting into golf ourselves over here, with plans for swimming next as team sports have not been successful for him.
I really like him so much. He always seemed like someone who was ridiculously good at one thing but couldn’t or wouldn’t give us any more than that. Not that he had to but it contributed to these wild stories surrounding him, half of which were probably crap. Trying to live up to your own myth must have been hard. I’m so glad that he put his problems and douchebaggy days behind him and while those DUIs were more than just some stupid mistake (I have no sympathy for drunk drivers), he seems to have learned and grown up. He’s no bratty pop star. I can’t wait for the Olympics.
I don’t condone or condemn anyone for drinking and driving. I don’t think it’s my place to judge anyone for stuff I have done. While there is a conscious choice to drink (and do drugs), it’s not a conscious choice to become an addict or to hurt anyone. Luckily for Michael Phelps, the consequences were not as severe as if he had killed someone and he is able to recover from those choices.
He sounds like he’s found freedom from destructive behaviors. I’m so glad for him.
It makes me think, though. People went apeshit when he was seen smoking weed. Because that’s illegal, although it’s unequivocally less harmful than alcohol. And here his problem was the legal substance, alcohol. It always baffles me how the substance that changes your personality, causes blackouts and often aggression, causes deaths in car accidents, causes incredible damage to the body, and is addictive is the legal and accepted one. People wouldn’t care if they saw him drinking a beer.
Its just crazy how society perceives these two substances. It’s backwards.
Amen. Thank you for pointing this out. Society as a whole seems to live in denial about alcohol – it’s a drug; a socially-sanctioned drug, but a drug nonetheless. I’m constantly amazed at how offended people get when someone is found to smoke week – what? You’ve never in your life been inebriated ?
For the record, though, I personally don’t smoke weed but do drink alcohol. Hey ho.
+ 1 million!
But they tried banning alcohol and it was an unmitigated disaster. I think they should make weed legal. People are going to do what they want no matter the laws. You might as well make week legal, because it is so much less destructive than alcohol. Personally, I would use weed if it was legal instead of my night 2 drinks and no doubt be better off for it.
Me too.
It’s legal where I live (Portland, Or) and in Washington above us. I am thankful and all for it.
This a million times! I have always said that alcohol can be far more destructive than marijuana. Like anything, it depends on the person but if I smoke nobody knows the difference. If I drink I could actually kill somebody by driving or being reckless. I could black out! I never have ever blacked out from smoking or driven erratically. If anything I’m driving super chilled out 😉
He seems like a much nicer person now that he has some inner peace and happiness. Lance Armstrong, for instance, is the old adage, once a jerk, always a jerk personified, to the point it was satisfying to watch him lose it all. I will be rooting for Michael in Rio, and I hope he is able to leave those Olympics feeling proud of what he has accomplished.
Yay! We are going to see his mother in the audience again!
There are some cute pics of Deborah on Michael’s Instagram. I adore her.
Good for him! You can tell he’s being honest when he says he’s in a better place now. Definitely rooting for him!
I’m glad he’s feeling better but you know what’s even more awesome than not having headaches? Not driving drunk with the capability of killing people.
“I drive responsibly now and that’s awesome.”
+ 1,000,000
I thought he officially “quit” competing in the Olympic years ago? I am wrong? Didn’t he retire once before?
He did. At the last Olympics he kept saying it was his last Olympics. I got the feeling that he had lost his passion for swimming and was pretty burned out. He was on a golf show a couple years ago with his golf coach and if I remember correctly he was attempting to become a pro golfer. I wonder if he had a bit of a love/hate relationship with swimming-and perhaps the public’s reluctance to let him walk away-contributed to his substance issues. Some people are ok with just being known for one thing, and some people want to be MORE than just a swimmer/actor/model/mom/etc. Not to mention that being an elite athlete can be an all-consuming lifestyle. He’s been competing at an elite level since he was a kid–his 1st Olympics was in 2000 when he was 15yrs old.
His issues with alcohol played a big part. He got very successful and famous pretty young and was surrounded by a lot of people that were more than happy to enable his partying. Pretty much after Beijing he phoned in all of his training because he was partying so much.
Honest to goodness question: is it a good idea to take a newborn to Rio with all the Zika uproar? I know it affects in utero, but are there risks to newborns?
I’d be less worried about the newborn and more worried about whether or not they want to get pregnant again in the near future. Zika stays in the body for a long time, and women who want to get pregnant in the next year are warned against travelling to Zika infested areas.
Seems like he’s actually enjoying his last bid this time. I think London was a cesspool of pressure that he didn’t WANT to deal with. So good for him being healthy and happy. Looking forward to Rio
Amazing athlete! Him and his finance seems like such a sweet couple. Wish him all the best.
Hope he doesn’t get sick swimming in the water. I’ve read it’s pretty contaminated.