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Michael Phelps to Coach at ASU

After winning 28 Olympic medals and setting numerous world records, Michael Phelps, competitive swimmer, and currently the most decorated Olympian, has decided that this year’s Olympics will be his last.

During the 2016 Olympics Phelps added six medals to his collection, including winning back the title he lost to Chad le Clos during the 2012 London games.  Phelps, 31, now holds the record as the oldest champion in the history of Olympic swimming.

The decision to retire was sparked by Phelps’ desire to spend more time with his fiancée, Nicole Johnson, and three month old son, Boomer.


Yet Phelps also had another announcement to share. During a press conference the Olympic swimmer revealed that he has accepted a position as an assistant coach at Arizona State University for the 2016-17 academic year.  

Alongside Bob Bowman, Arizona State’s head coach and Phelps’s personal instructor, the Olympian will volunteer at the Mona Plummer Aquatic Center.

The swimmer expressed that he is satisfied with the way his competitive career ended, emphasizing his belief that he achieved his goal of making a comeback after the 2012 games. When asked about his pending coaching position at ASU, Phelps noted that he believes donning the coach’s hat, and leaving behind the suit, will help other aspiring Olympians achieve their dreams. 

Arizona State’s swimming and diving programs have fostered 51 Olympians and have also been coach by instructors with Olympic experience, such as the Misty Hyman, who won a gold medal during the 2000 Olympics.

However, in light of Michael Phelps’s announcement, Arizona State expects that they will see a dramatic increase in the number of swimmers seeking admission to the university.

The Olympian swimmer, on the other hand, hopes that his coaching career will reach beyond Arizona.

Phelps stated that he would like to instruct others outside the university’s scope, stressing how important swimming is not only as a sport, but also as a lifesaver.