"I was furious" - When Michael Phelps opened up on unfair comparisons between him and Ian Thorpe in media

Michael Phelps once opened up about the unfair comparisons he faced between him and the former Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe in the media. Thorpe and Phelps competed against each other in multiple competitions, including the 2004 Olympics.

At Athens, Phelps collected six gold and two bronze medals. The American and the Australian swimmers locked horns in the 200m freestyle event, where Thorpe dominated the race, while Phelps followed him in third place. Throughout their careers, both athletes showed remarkable performances, with Phelps earning 28 and Thorpe clinching nine Olympic medals.

In his memoir, 'Michael Phelps: Beneath the Surface,' originally published in 2004, the former swimmer reflected on the misleading comparisons media drew between the swimmers, which suggested that although Phelps was a potential swimmer, it was too early to compare him to the Australian swimming star.

"People trying to say he’s a greater swimmer than Ian—that’s absolute nonsense…. The promise for Phelps is there, but for people saying he’s going to outdo Thorpie, I live to see that day," the media claims read.

Phelps further highlighted how the baseless comparison motivated him.

"I was furious. Done nothing yet? You mean winning a world championship and breaking a world record isn’t proving yourself? There are ways to say certain things and stick up for your own swimmers without being disrespectful to someone else.

"I wanted to show him otherwise. I had a job to do and I wanted to prove I could do it. That lit a fire under my butt for the rest of the summer."

"What I'm trying to accomplish is a five-thousand-piece puzzle" - Michael Phelps imparts important advice to deal with struggles

Michael Phelps attends Omega House in Paris, France. (Photo by Getty Images)

Michael Phelps shared important advice for people facing challenges. He reflected upon his long swimming journey, which was marked by multiple rough patches. The legendary swimmer opened up about how he tried to improve himself every day.

"My body and what I'm trying to accomplish is a five-thousand-piece puzzle. How can I put one piece in each day? If I can do that, then nothing else matters, and the way that I can do that is by controlling what I can control. If I'm doing that to the best of my ability, then nothing else matters," he said.

Although his career was marked by multiple setbacks, Michael Phelps collected 23 Olympic gold medals to become the most decorated Olympian ever.