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Taking Gold in Beijing, 2008
Phelps holds the gold after winning the men's 200 meters butterfly swimming final at the National Aquatics Center during the Beijing 2008 Olympics on August 13, 2008. On August 17 of that year, Phelps swam to sporting immortality by winning his eighth gold medal in Beijing. The then-23-year-old, who had already won more gold medals than any other Olympic athlete, broke Mark Spitz's record of seven golds at a single Games, set at Munich, 1972.
Photo:
REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay/Files