He’s sworn off swimming competitively (for now). But that doesn’t mean he won’t be the world’s best ambassador for the sport
Swimming
After London, It’s Back to Work: 10 Olympians Returning to Their Day Jobs
Not every athlete spends four years solidly training for the Olympics. Here’s our pick of the competitors who are keeping the amateur spirit alive in sport by going back to their day jobs.
The Strange but Beautiful Art of Synchronized Swimming
From eerie fairytale inspired routines to over the top outfits and makeup, TIME presents the best pictures of the glamorous yet misunderstood sport of synchronized swimming at the 2012 London Olympics.
After Ending Career with a Gold, Is Phelps the Greatest Olympian of All Time?
U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps closed out his career with an unprecedented 18th gold medal
U.S.’s Golden Day in the Pool: Phelps Wins 17th Gold
Michael Phelps has been doing a lot of smiling lately. In the last lap of the 4x200m freestyle relay on Tuesday, he started smiling. Underwater. Three days later, after definitively claiming his record-setting 17th gold (and 21st …
Great Britain’s First Two Golds: The Host Nation Comes to the Party
Much as with the iconic red buses that pass through London, you wait ages for a Great Britain gold medal and then two come along at once. And for that welcome sight, a nation’s grateful thanks will forever go to a talented trio.
Not Done Yet: Michael Phelps Becomes the Most Decorated Olympian of All Time
The U.S. swimmer wins two medals — gold and silver — on Tuesday night, giving him 19 Olympic medals, the most in history
French Swimmers Stage Early, Unexpected Grab of Olympic Gold
Led by freestylers Camille Muffat and Yannick Agnel, French swimmers turn the (notorious) national character trait for individualism into a recipe for victory making all of France proud.
Doping Suspicions About Gold-Medal Swimmer Trigger Angry Response in China
China rallies to support 16-year-old swimmer Ye Shiwen, whose world-record-breaking swim in the 400-m individual medley has raised questions about doping
Swimming Stunner: Phelps Falls to Lochte, Fails to Medal
The first swimming race of the Olympics is history, and it’s a doozy