American swimmer Michael Phelps has become the most decorated Olympian in history.
Olympic Swimmer Michael Phelps
![Michael Phelps competes in the men's 4x200-meter freestyle relay swimming final at the Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, July 31, 2012.](https://gdb.voanews.com/CC1DC418-9FD2-4AE3-BB7B-96A441E3289C_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Michael Phelps competes in the men's 4x200-meter freestyle relay swimming final at the Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, July 31, 2012.
![Michael Phelps waits to receive his silver medal for the men's 200-meter butterfly swimming final at the Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, July 31, 2012.](https://gdb.voanews.com/186B9DD7-7073-4C32-A7AB-11BCEB9BE100_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Michael Phelps waits to receive his silver medal for the men's 200-meter butterfly swimming final at the Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, July 31, 2012.
![Michael Phelps displays his eighth gold medal after the men's 4x100-meter medley relay final at the Beijing 2008 Olympics in Beijing.](https://gdb.voanews.com/46C42BBA-1B24-4D88-8506-2F5ECA4E2B58_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Michael Phelps displays his eighth gold medal after the men's 4x100-meter medley relay final at the Beijing 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
![Michael Phelps competes in the 100-meter butterfly at the Indianapolis Grand Prix swimming meet in Indianapolis, March 29, 2012.](https://gdb.voanews.com/74D25297-55F2-41F4-A120-96A6DFC4EC53_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Michael Phelps competes in the 100-meter butterfly at the Indianapolis Grand Prix swimming meet in Indianapolis, March 29, 2012.