Michael Phelps Quiz: 23 Golds and the Beijing Eight

This Michael Phelps quiz follows the most decorated Olympian in history from Baltimore and his long partnership with coach Bob Bowman to his Olympic debut at 15, eight gold medals at Beijing 2008, his famous 0.01-second win over Milorad Čavić, 28 Olympic medals in total and his later work on mental health. Fifteen questions.

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🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 15 Questions • ⏱️ 150 Seconds

Question 1 / 15 Time: 150s

Origins
In which US city was Michael Phelps born and raised?
Records
How many Olympic medals did Phelps win in his career, a record?
Records
How many of Phelps's Olympic medals are gold?
Beijing
How many gold medals did Phelps win at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, a record for one Games?
Beijing
Phelps won the 100 meters butterfly in Beijing by how small a margin over Milorad Čavić?
Coach
Who coached Phelps for almost his entire career?
Debut
How old was Phelps at his first Olympics in Sydney in 2000?
Body
Phelps's arm span is about how wide, longer than his height?
Health
As a child, Phelps was diagnosed with which condition, and swimming helped him focus?
Records
Phelps's 13 individual Olympic gold medals broke a record that had stood for how long?
Rio 2016
What role did Phelps have at the opening ceremony of the Rio 2016 Olympics?
Memes
Which viral nickname described Phelps's angry look before a semifinal in Rio?
Documentary
What is the title of the 2020 documentary about Olympians and mental health that Phelps narrated?
Family
Phelps is married to Nicole Johnson, a former what?
Events
Which stroke was Phelps's most famous specialty?

Explanations: answer key for all 15 questions

Q1: In which US city was Michael Phelps born and raised?
Answer: Baltimore
He was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1985 and trained at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club. His nickname became the Baltimore Bullet.
Q2: How many Olympic medals did Phelps win in his career, a record?
Answer: 28
He won 28 medals across five Olympic Games, from 2000 to 2016. No other athlete in any sport has won more.
Q3: How many of Phelps's Olympic medals are gold?
Answer: 23
His 23 gold medals are more than double the total of any other Olympian. He also won three silvers and two bronzes.
Q4: How many gold medals did Phelps win at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, a record for one Games?
Answer: Eight
He broke Mark Spitz's record of seven golds at the 1972 Olympics. He set world records in seven of his eight events.
Q5: Phelps won the 100 meters butterfly in Beijing by how small a margin over Milorad Čavić?
Answer: One hundredth of a second
Photos showed Čavić seemed to touch first, but Phelps's final half-stroke reached the wall first. It kept his eight-gold dream alive.
Q6: Who coached Phelps for almost his entire career?
Answer: Bob Bowman
Bob Bowman began coaching Phelps when he was 11. Bowman later became a head coach at university level.
Q7: How old was Phelps at his first Olympics in Sydney in 2000?
Answer: 15
He was the youngest male swimmer on the US Olympic team in 68 years. He finished fifth in the 200 meters butterfly.
Q8: Phelps's arm span is about how wide, longer than his height?
Answer: 2.01 meters
His arm span is about 2.01 meters, while he is about 1.93 meters tall. Long arms and big feet helped him pull through the water.
Q9: As a child, Phelps was diagnosed with which condition, and swimming helped him focus?
Answer: ADHD
He was diagnosed with ADHD at age nine. He has said the pool gave him a place to channel his energy.
Q10: Phelps's 13 individual Olympic gold medals broke a record that had stood for how long?
Answer: About 2,168 years
Leonidas of Rhodes won 12 individual titles in the ancient Olympics around 152 BC. Phelps passed him in Rio in 2016.
Q11: What role did Phelps have at the opening ceremony of the Rio 2016 Olympics?
Answer: He carried the US flag
Phelps was chosen as the US flag-bearer for his fifth Olympics. He then won five more golds and a silver in Rio.
Q12: Which viral nickname described Phelps's angry look before a semifinal in Rio?
Answer: Phelps Face
Cameras caught him glaring as rival Chad le Clos shadow-boxed in front of him. The image became a famous meme.
Q13: What is the title of the 2020 documentary about Olympians and mental health that Phelps narrated?
Answer: The Weight of Gold
Phelps has spoken openly about depression after the Olympics. He uses his fame to encourage people to seek help.
Q14: Phelps is married to Nicole Johnson, a former what?
Answer: Miss California USA
Nicole Johnson won the Miss California USA title in 2010. The couple married in 2016 and have four sons.
Q15: Which stroke was Phelps's most famous specialty?
Answer: Butterfly
He won Olympic golds in the 100 and 200 meters butterfly, as well as many medley and freestyle events. He was strong in almost every stroke.

Michael Phelps Quiz – The Most Decorated Olympian

Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympian of all time. Born in Baltimore in 1985, he started swimming at seven, partly to burn off energy after being diagnosed with ADHD. At 11 he began working with coach Bob Bowman, a partnership that lasted through his whole career.

At just 15, Phelps swam at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Four years later in Athens he won six golds, and at Beijing 2008 he made history with eight gold medals at one Games, beating Mark Spitz's record. His win by one hundredth of a second over Milorad Čavić in the 100 meters butterfly is one of the most famous finishes in sport.

Phelps returned for London 2012 and, after a short retirement, for Rio 2016, where he carried the US flag. He finished with 28 Olympic medals, 23 of them gold, and 13 individual golds, breaking a record from the ancient Olympics.

After retiring, he became an advocate for mental health, speaking openly about depression in the documentary The Weight of Gold. His foundation teaches children water safety and healthy living, and he remains a popular commentator at major swimming events.

What This Quiz Teaches

His childhood in Baltimore
Coach Bob Bowman
Eight golds in Beijing
His record 28 Olympic medals
Famous races and moments
His work on mental health

Quick Facts About Michael Phelps

Born June 30, 1985, in Baltimore, Maryland.
He competed at five Olympic Games.
He set 39 world records in his career.
He was World Swimmer of the Year eight times.
He once said he ate up to 10,000 calories a day while training.
The Michael Phelps Foundation promotes water safety.