Summer McIntosh shows her love for Michael Phelps by naming one of her cats after him

Young Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh recently stated in an interview that she has drawn inspiration from Michael Phelps. In fact, McIntosh was so deeply inspired by Phelps that she named one of her three cats "Mikey".

Michael Phelps, the most decorated athlete in Olympic history, has captured a whopping 82 major international medals, including 65 gold, 14 silver, and three bronze medals in long-course events. The retired swimmer holds the record for winning the most gold medals (23), gold in individual competitions (13), and medals in individual events (16) at the Olympic Games.

Over the years, Phelps has been a role model for many young swimmers. In the interview, McIntosh mentioned the quality that Phelps had that set him apart from the rest:

“He trusted the process and took it day by day.”

She highlighted the quality that she learned from the greatest swimmer of all time by stating:

“Even when you lack motivation on a day, you can still be disciplined and get the task done.”

She also added that a few years back, she watched the eight gold medal performances of Michael Phelps at the Beijing Olympics 2008.

From being a part of the Canadian Olympics squad as the youngest at just the age of 14 to defeating the legendary Katie Ledecky, she has done it all. She first rose to fame when she made her debut at the FINA World Aquatics Championships 2022 in Budapest where she earned two gold medals and became the youngest Canadian world champion, surpassing 18-year-old Victor Davis in 1982.

Summer McIntosh once again made headlines at the 2023 Pro Swim Series event where she defeated Ledecky in the 200-meter freestyle event with a new junior world record and national record time of 1:54.13. Her performance was noteworthy as she defeated Ledecky, who faced her first loss in a domestic final in the 200m distance or higher since 2014.

Michael Phelps is now a mental health advocate

Michael Phelps (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

Former swimmer Michael Phelps, who is now a mental health advocate, has shared his dedication to challenge the stigma around mental health in all sports.

Last year, in an interview with Diane Macedo of ABC News Live, Michael Phelps opened up about his own issues related to mental health and wanted to increase awareness and provide support to the people who need it.

He stated in the interview:

“For me, I opened up about mental health because it was something I was struggling with and I sought medical attention. I got professional help. For me, I want those who are suffering the way I was or struggling the same way I was to get the help and care they need."

He further added:

"I have gone through ups and downs with depression and anxiety, and this is something I know is an everyday challenge. I just want to help as many people out there as I can and hopefully lower the suicide rate."