Michael Phelps is undisputedly one of the greatest swimming legends in the world. However, there have been some folks who’ve surprised the legend himself, even if just for fun. One of them is four-time NBA Champion Shaquille O’Neal.
The basketball player-turned-rapper once competed with the Olympic champion swimmer for a charitable cause in 2009, months after Phelps’ historic exploits at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Phelps prevailed in the best-of-three clash.
When Michael Phelps Had To Fight It Out Against Shaq
Phelps recently shared a reel from History Photographed’s Instagram page on his Instagram timeline, which showed a charity race from 2009, where the Olympic champion swimmer competed against the then-Cleveland Cavaliers player in the reality show “Shaq Vs.”
Phelps cheered for Shaq, who gave him a tough fight before ultimately losing the series by 1-2. The 40-year-old former swimming sensation reshared the video on his Instagram Story and wrote:
“@shaq had some moves!!”
What Is Phelps Upto After Retirement?
Phelps retired from competitive swimming after his stint at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, where he represented the USA for one last time, and won a total of six Olympic medals, including five gold medals.
With this, Phelps took his grand total to a staggering 28 Olympic medals, of which 23 are gold. He is the most decorated Olympic swimmer of all time, with Mark Spitz coming a distinct second with a total of 11 medals, including nine gold. Even Katie Ledecky has won only half of the total medals won by Phelps to date.
Following his retirement from international swimming, Phelps has devoted his time between his family and his passion for golf. He is married to his longtime girlfriend Nicole Johnson, and the couple has four children, viz. Boomer, Beckett, Maverick, and Nico. Nico was born in January 2024.
Phelps also devotes his time to raising awareness for the mental health of athletes. The former swimmer had suffered through multiple bouts of depression and had almost quit swimming by 2013, only to change his mind and make one last attempt at Olympic glory in 2014. Phelps also runs a philanthropic organization, i.e., the Michael Phelps Foundation, in this regard.
