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The 2004 Athens Olympics were a defining moment for Michael Phelps, a young swimmer who was yet to become a household name in the athletic world at the time.
Before the roar of the crowds for his achievements became the norm, however, there were a few situations that ignited his competitive spirit -- a comment from Australian swimming legend Kieren Perkins, for instance.
On the day before the Athens Olympic trials, Phelps' coach, Bob Bowman, shared with him an article chronicling Perkins' negative comments towards the American. Perkins, a former distance freestyle champion, raised doubts over Phelps' experience, stating:
"He's [Thorpe] competed at that level and won, and while Phelps is a great talent and he's broken lots of world records, he hasn't won at that level yet."
This jab at Michael Phelps' experience, labeling him as "unproven," stuck directly to Phelps when he got to read the statement. He recalled this moment with a statement that he wrote in his autobiography - "Beneath the Surface" - calling it "ridiculous."
"That's ridiculous. I may not beat him, but that isn't the point. The whole idea of competition is that you try to test yourself against the best. Thorpe is the greatest freestyler of all time and I want to swim against him when we're both at our best," Phelps wrote. "When I read that, I was seething. Are you kidding me?"
Nevertheless, it was the event that started Michael Phelps' legend, as he went on to cement his name in Olympic history in the years to come, taking home 28 medals before calling it a day.
A look at Michael Phelps' domination at the Athens Olympics
Michael Phelps's performance in Athens was just the start of his glorious career. He holds the record for the most gold medals at the Olympic Games (23 medals), becoming the most successful Olympian in history.
The moment he had with Perkins served as fuel for the American, as he went on to win 5 gold medals and two bronze medals at the Athens Olympics. At the time, his seven-medal haul was the second-highest in Olympic history behind Mark Spitz, who had won seven golds at Munich in 1972.
Phelps's performance in the Athens Olympics was not only about winning medals, with the swimmer also showing the world that he had the potential to become one of the best Olympians in American history. He broke six world records in Athens, demonstrating his exceptional talent. Four years later, in Beijing, he made history as the the first Olympian to win eight medals in a single edition, and all were gold medals.
