Xtreme Athletes

From the moment that his parents dragged him to his older sisters' swimming practice, Michael Phelps loved the water. During his childhood, swimming provided a solace away from the pressures of school and home, and before long, Michael and his family began to realize that he had a significant talent in the water. With long arms and huge feet, Michael's body was perfect for swimming, and he had the drive to push himself to practice swimming almost every day of his life. By the time he was fifteen, Michael was already on his way to the Olympics, one of the youngest U.S. Olympians ever. It was the next four years that defined Michael's life and career, as he quickly developed into one of the world's greatest swimmers, setting world records and winning countless prizes. He soon found himself swamped by fans, supporters, and sponsors, and became one of the most popular and recognizable swimmers in America. But Michael was still only a teenager, barely out of high school when he achieved world wide fame, and the challenge of balancing a normal life-friends, family, college, and parties-with his role as America's greatest swimmer would prove to be his greatest challenge. Book jacket.