"When I got back to school in Baltimore no one asked me about the Olympics" - When Michael Phelps recalled his return after Sydney Olympics

Michael Phelps has had a career that one can sum up as legendary. A 23 times Olympic gold medalist, Phelps has left his legacy in the swimming world.

Phelps' Olympic journey started at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. The then 15-year-old Phelps made it to the finals in the 200m butterfly but finished fifth.

In an interview with The Guardian ahead of the Athens Olympics in 2004 he recalled he was initially content to have made it to the USA swimming team in 2000 but was then dejected as he wanted to win a medal.

"I was just proud to have made the US team", said Phelps. "But I ended up disappointed because I wanted a medal. It was a learning experience - my first international meet and my first time out of America. When I got back to school in Baltimore no one asked me about the Olympics. Everybody just asked whether I'd seen any kangaroos hopping around or koala bears up in the trees."

Phelps shared his training routine for Athens Olympics where he got up at 5:30 in the morning. He expressed that there were some days when he couldn't find the motivation to train so he would look inside his swimming cap in which 'Athens' was stitched.

"I've been doing that 365 days - year after year", said Phelps. "I can't remember the last day I didn't train. Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year's Day. I haven't missed one of 'em for years. And every single day I got that word, Athens, running right round my head", he said.

In the 2004 Athens Olympics, he won six gold medals and two bronze medals with a world record in the 400m individual medley.

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Michael Phelps' one of the closest swimming finish was in 2008 Beijing Olympics

Michael Phelps poses after winning the men's 4x100m medley relay finals at the 2016 Rio Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Michael Phelps has shown a few amazing finishes throughout his swimming career. The men's 100m butterfly at the 2008 Beijing Olympics is considered one of his closest swimming finishes ever.

Phelps won the top position on the podium in the 100m butterfly at Beijing with a time of 50.58 seconds which was also the Olympic record. He left behind Milorad Cavic from Serbia, who finished with a close time of 50.59 seconds.

Phelps went on to win more seven medals and create seven world records in Beijing.