Michael Phelps. The G.O.A.T. The swimmer who needs no introduction! This Olympic icon started his work-record-breaking streak way back in 2001 when he blasted the 200-meter butterfly record at only 15 years old. At the World Aquatics Championship just two years later, he broke his own record for the same relay! If anything, Phelps proves that some things just get better with age.
Phelps really started making headlines in 2004 at the Athens Summer Olympics, winning six gold and two bronze medals. Remember, he was still a teenager! This feat was the second-best performance ever at a single Olympics, next to Mark Spitz in 1972. He kept up his history-making streak at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, becoming the all-time leader for most gold medals won by an individual during the modern Games. In 2012, he brought his gold-medal total to 22 and finished his career strong in 2016 with 23 gold medals.
Like many super-successful athletes, Michael Phelps tried retiring a few times but always seemed to get pulled back into the competition. Luckily for him, he still managed to make it to the Olympics each time he tried, but delivered a less-stellar performance than usual in 2016, leading to his official retirement. Ever since, he has focused on family and philanthropy.
Back in 2016, Phelps held a secret wedding ceremony and married Nicole Johnson, a former beauty pageant queen. They managed to keep their marriage under wraps for four whole months! That's pretty impressive. Their first child, Boomer, was born the same year, with Beckett following in 2018 and Maverick in 2019. In his time off, Phelps is a strong mental health advocate, working with mental health companies, including Talkspace.
Caitlyn Jenner shot to stardom in 1976 at the Olympic Games in Montreal during the decathlon races. She competed in 10 track and field events, including hurdles, high jump, pole vaulting, shot put, javelin, discus, 100-meter race, 400-meter race, 110-meter race, and the 1500-meter race. She took home the gold for the men's decathlon event that year, setting a world record and getting dubbed a true "all-American hero" and the "world's greatest athlete."
Caitlyn was married to Chrystie Crownover at the time of her Olympic stardom, but they divorced in 1981. They share two children, Burt and Casey. The year of her first divorce, Caitlyn married actress Linda Thompson and had two more songs, Brandon and Brody, but this romance also didn't last. Most recently, Jenner was married to Kardashian "momager" Kris for nearly 25 years. Together, they had two daughters, Kendall and Kylie, who became prominent figures in Keeping Up with the Kardashians.
Most athletes peak at the height of their careers and never escape their own shadows. Caitlyn Jenner, however, managed to break out of her former mold as the "Wheaties" athlete when she publicly announced she was transgender in April 2015. During an interview with Diane Sawyer, Jenner confirmed months-long rumors about her gender identity, stating, "For all intents and purposes, I am a woman."
Jenner went on to pose on the cover of Vanity Fair and snagged a coveted "Woman of the Year" title from Glamour magazine. Plus, she appeared in her own short-lived E! reality show I Am Cait to document her transition and new life as a woman. Controversially, she also went on to run for California Governor in 2021 as a Republican candidate. She lost the race that September.
Usain Bolt is considered the greatest sprinter of all time by fans and experts alike. He holds countless world records, including the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, and 4x100-meter relay. Born in 1986, Bolt became a household name during the 2012 Summer Olympics held in London.
While he did previously win a gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, he didn't skyrocket to stardom until 2012. At these games, he solidified his stance as the "best sprinter of all time," according to the International Olympic Committee, as well as becoming the highest-earning track and field ath
Bolt went on to win another three consecutive gold medals at the 2016 Summer Olympics held in Rio, which made him the first athlete to win the 200-meter dash three times at the Olympics. Bolt is known for his unique winning style, defined by making a "lightning bolt" pose, among other actions, including pushups or shushing the crowd. Bolt is currently retired. He officially ended his legendary career as a sprinter following his 2017 season at the World Athletics Championships.
There, he suffered an agonizing hamstring injury during the 4x100-meter relay. The National Stadium in Jamaica erected a statue of Bolt in his signature lightning pose after his retirement. Bolt is currently focused on his family. He welcomed his first child Olympia in 2020 alongside his girlfriend Kasi Bennett. A year later, they welcomed twins Saint Leo and Thunder.
Gabby Douglas is one of the most well-known American gymnasts of the past decade, next to Simone Biles. She made herself famous during the 2012 London Olympics as the all-around champion and member of the gold-medal-winning team"The Fierce Five" at both the 2012 and 2016 Olympics. Aside from the Olympics, she also dominated the World Championships in 2011 and 2015.
Aside from skyrocketing herself to stardom at the Olympics, she also made history as the first African American to be the all-around champion as well s the first American gymnast to win gold individually and in team competitions. Ever since the 2012 and 2016 Games, she has been regarded as an icon for girls with dreams of making it big in the sport.
Douglas is so legendary, in fact, that Lifetime made their own biopic about her in 2014 titled The Gabby Douglas Story. Even better, she got her own reality TV series, Douglas Family Gold, and a book written about her life describing her time as an Olympian and what it actually takes to become successful in athletics.
Unfortunately, her experience with the United States Olympic committee wasn't all positive. In fact, it was tainted by a terrible tragedy that many of the "Fab Five" all experienced. In 2017, she told shared her traumatic experience with Larry Nassar, the team doctor, and the abuses she suffered under him. In happier news, she won the Masked Dancer in 2020.
Shaun White is a retired athlete who made his name as a professional snowboarder. As a five-time Olympian and three-time gold medalist, he made history as the most gold medals held by a professional snowboarder. Additionally, he holds the most X Games gold medals! Talk about making history.
Due to his flaming red hair, he earned the nickname "The Flying Tomato." Such nicknames would probably be offensive to many normal people. In fact, he told Rolling Stone magazine in 2006 that he "used to embrace" the nicknamed but has "grown tired of it" in recent years. Not everything lasts forever!
From ESPY awards to video games and various publicity stunts, Shaun White was a longstanding role model for young boys. However, he's gotten himself into some trouble that some parents wouldn't be too happy about. For instance, he was arrested in 2012 for public intoxication and vandalism. He must have been at one crazy wedding!
And it gets even worse... Back in 2016, drummer Lena Zawaideh accused White of sexual harassment, which was settled out of court. White belittled the situation to gossip, for which he later apologized due to public backlash. As for his romantic relationships, he is currently dating actress Nina Dobrev as of 2019.
The Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan scandal is one of the biggest ever seen in the Olympics. It even turned into a movie! If you don't know what we're talking about here’s what happened: In 1994, Nancy Kerrigan was stepping off the ice when she was hit in the leg by a “club-like instrument” prior to the Olympic qualifiers.
Later, it was discovered that Tonya Harding’s ex-husband had planned the attack so Harding would go to the Olympics. Harding claimed she had no idea of the attack but was still banned from the U.S. Figure Skating Association. Kerrigan qualified for the Olympics and went on to win Silver.
Tonya Harding will forever exist as the insecure figure skater who ruined another athlete’s chances for 1994 Olympic gold. While Nancy Kerrigan’s leg eventually healed, Harding’s reputation remained infamous. We're not saying that she shouldn't be able to move past this ancient scandal, but has she ever truly apologized? Nobody is owed an apology, especially her.
Oddly enough, the release of the 2018 blockbuster I, Tonya featuring Margot Robbie helped Harding secure spots in insurance commercials, multiple major interviews, and even a spot on Dancing With the Stars. At this point, it’s getting a little tiring. Just move on and live a normal life, girl. It's not all about you! We thought she would have learned that lesson by now.
Retired American beach volleyball star Misty May-Treanor is a three-time Olympic gold medalist alongside partner Kerri Walsh Jennings. As of the 2012 Olympic Games held in London, she was dubbed the most successful female beach volleyball athlete in the world. Winning 112 tournaments will do that for you.
As for her specific successes, she competed alongside Jennings at three separate Olympic Games in 2004, 2008, and 2012. Additionally, they secured the titles for FIVB World Championships in 2003, 2005, and 2007. They are widely considered the greatest beach volleyball team in history.
Although May-Treanor did retire after the 2012 Games, she left on a high note. She was inducted into the Volleyball Hall of Fame that same year. ow, she owns a beach volleyball club called Dream in Gold, where she also works as a coach. Aside from athletics, she has a Graduate Degree in Coaching and Athletic Administration from Concordia University Irvine.
In 2004, May-Treanor started dating professional baseball player Matt Treanor. That same year just nine months later, they married and purchased a home in Coral Springs, Florida. The pair also reside in a home in Long Beach, California. Back in 2014, the couple welcomed their first child, Malia, and later gave birth to twins Mele and Mia in 2017.
Allyson Felix is another athlete among the greatest Olympians of all time. This now-retired track and field competitor specialized in the 200-meter dash during her decade-long career from 2003 to 2013. But later in her career, she slowly shifted to dominating the 400-meter races.
As you probably know, Felix is an Olympic champion for the 200-meter dash, including a gold medal, three international titles, and two silver medals. As a 400-meter sprinter, she holds an international title, two silver medals, and two bronze. In fact, she is the first female athlete in track and field to win seven Olympic gold medals!
As of 2020 and 2021, Felix made it onto Time magazine's list of the 100 Most Influential People of the year. It's no wonder, either! Not only is she a fantastic athlete, but she's exceptionally intelligent and well-regarded in the eyes of her alma mater USC. In 2022, she received an honorary doctorate in Humane Letters from the university as well as serving as their commencement speaker at graduation.
While Allyson Felix made running her number one priority for over a decade, she retired from athletics to focus on herself and her family. In fact, she married fellow sprinter and hurdler Kenneth Fergusen and began raising a family with him. In 2018, they welcomed their first child — a daughter named Camryn.
Early in her life, Kristin Armstrong was a junior Olympian in swimming, transitioned to distance running during college, and then became a triathlete. Unfortunately, a diagnosis of osteoarthritic at 27 years old ended her career in running and triathlons. Thus, her legendary career in cycling began and the rest is history.
Armstrong's major wins include the Olympic Time Trials races in 2008, 2012, and 2016. Additionally, she's a World Time Trial Champion (2006 & 2009), a Pan American Time Trial Champion (2005), a National Road Race Champion (2004), a National Time Trial Champion (2005-2007 & 2015), a Nature Valley Grand Prix winner (2006-2008), and the winner of the 2015 USA Pro Challenge.
As we mentioned previously, she won multiple championships in 2015, but she first announced her retirement in 2012 after the London Olympics. Luckily, she came out of retirement to win multiple major races, including making history at the Rio Olympics in 2016 in the women's individual time trial. She was the first cyclist to win three gold medals in the same race, as well as the oldest to win a medal.
Most recently, Armstrong joined USA Cycling as their Endurance Performance Director. Plus, she launched her own bike computer mounts under the brand KX3 Sports in late 2019. And while Lance Armstrong had an ex-wife named Kristen, Kristen Armstrong is not affiliated with the disgraced athlete. Instead, she is married to Joe Savola and shares one son with him.
Amy Van Dyken is a former professional swimmer and Olympic champion. She won a total of six gold medals at the Olympics during her career, for the 50-meter freestyle, the 100-meter butterfly, and 4x100-meter relay, and the 4x100-meter medley. She is the first American woman to win that number of titles and the most successful of the '96 Olympics.
Interestingly enough, Van Dyken was not the type most people would assume could become an ultra-successful Olympic athlete at a young age. In fact, she was diagnosed with severe asthma but began swimming after her doctor suggested it could help strengthen her lungs. Obviously, it turned out well for her in the end!
Even after getting named Swimming World's American Swimmer of the Year two times in a row, she kept up her winning streak in 200. She is one of the few Olympians in history only to have Gold medals. She did lose support from the public after spitting in a competitor's lane after losing a race back in 2000.
Van Dyken's life is not without its fair share of challenges. She suffered a horrific ATV accident in 2014 that injured her spinal cord and left her paralyzed from the waist down. her injury was millimeters away from rupturing her aorta, which is fatal. She's quoted as saying that she's a "better person [now] than before the injury," according to KDVR.com.
Retired professional soccer player Kristine Lilly was a member of the United States women's National Team for over 23 years and is the "most-capped" player in history, including the men's division. During her career, she scored 130 goals for the national team, which is the third-most of any U.S. women's player.
Lilly started her career like many others do — as a student-athlete. She was so good at soccer that she won the Honda Sports Award and the Hermann Trophy during her time studying in North Carolina. After graduation, she began a professional career in Sweden before quickly returning to the U.S. In fact, she competed in an all-male indoor league during her early career.
In total, Kristine Lilly secured multiple World Cup championships, two gold Olympic medals in 1996 and 2004, and a silver medal in 2000. She was unable to attend the 2008 Olympics due to the birth of her first child. After giving birth to her daughter, she played her last match for the national team.
Since 2012, Lilly has worked as an assistant coach for the Boston Breakers team in Massachusetts. As for her romantic life, she married a Brookline firefighter named David Heavey, who was also a former athlete. He played hockey and golf at the University of Connecticut. In 2008, Lilly gave birth to her first child Sidney on the same day as her own birthday. Three years later, they welcomed their second daughter Jordan.
Before Simone Biles came along, there was Shannon Miller. Miller was the queen of gymnastics in the '90s and upheld her status as the most decorated U.S. female gymnast as well as the most decorated overall until Biles stole the show. She was the all-around world champion in both 1993 and 1994!
Additionally, she was the 1995 all-around champion of the Pan American Games on top of becoming the balance beam champion at the '96 Olympics alongside the gold-winning team the Magnificent Seven. Plus, she was the most successful American athlete at the '92 Olympics after winning five medals. She was only fifteen years old at the time.
Miller officially retired from gymnastics after the Sydney Olympics in 2000 but quickly withdrew from the competition after a scary fall while on the vault. It's safe to say she left an impressive legacy despite the bittersweet ending. Now, she's a member of the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame, the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame, and the Women's International Sports hall of Fame.
She is the only woman in any sport o be inducted twice into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame multiple times. After her gymnastics career, she graduated with a B.B.A at the University of Houston and went to Boston College Law School, but did not take the bar exam. She currently runs multiple philanthropies combating childhood obesity. She is currently married to John Falconnetti and a mother of two.
Ryan Lochte attended his first Olympic games in 2004 and took home the gold for the men's 400-meter medley later in 2012 against Michael Phelps. Born in New York, he's always had a flair for the dramatic. From his catchphrase "Jeah" to starring in his own reality series, it seems there's not much that Lochte won't do.
Following the 2016 Olympics held in Rio, he made quite the ruckus. After bringing home the gold alongside Phelps in the 4x200-meter freestyle relay, Lochte and his teammate jimmy Feigen falsely claimed they were robbed in Rio while out partying. Lochte later admitted that the story was overexaggerated, which led to him being suspended from U.S.A. Swimming for 14 months. The whole debacle is known as "Lochtegate."
In reference to "Lochtegate," the swimmer admitted that it was the "hardest time" of his life while competing on Celebrity Big Brother in 2019. This guy definitely has a thing for reality TV competitions. From Dancing With the Stars to Big Brother, it's hard to take him seriously sometimes.
As for his personal life, it's much more successful than his professional life. He married model girlfriend Kayla Reid after welcoming their first son Caiden in 2017. Two years later, they announced the birth of their second child, a daughter name Liv Rae. Hopefully, Lochte has learned what's actually important by now!
Nadia Comaneci was the first gymnast in Olympic history to be awarded a perfect 10.0 score at the 1976 Montreal Olympics— and she was just 14 years old! What were you doing at 14? Probably not winning three gold medals for six different scores of a perfect 10.0! The Romanian athlete went on to the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, scoring two more perfect 10.0s that landed her two additional gold medals.
Throughout her gymnastics career, the young athlete won a total of nine Olympic medals and four World Artistic Gymnastics titles. In fact, she is credited for popularizing the art of gymnastics around the globe from her performances. Years later, she defected from Communist Romania to the United States. She married American gymnast Bart Conner and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2001.
In 1991, Comaneci moved to Oklahoma to help out her friend and fellow gold medalist Bart Conner open his school for gymnastics. While they started out as friends, their relationship bloomed into something more serious, and they were engaged after four years of dating. For their wedding, Comaneci returned to Bucharest for the ceremony after the fall of the Communist regime in Romania.
In fact, Comaneci was such an iconic figure that Romania welcomed her back as a hero and even televised her wedding. Even better, the reception was hosted by the presidential palace. You can't get much fancier than that! In 2006, the couple welcomed their son Dylan into the world. More recently, in 2017, the Olympic Park in Montreal was renamed "Place Nadia Comaneci."
While many of the most popular Olympic athletes are competitors in the Summer Olympics, Scott Hamilton made his name in figure skating. It's difficult to underplay his accomplishments, as he won four back-to-back U.S. championships in the early '80s. At the same time, he won four World Championships and a gold medal at the 1984 Winter Olympics!
Hamilton is best known for his footwork and the backflip, the latter of which became his signature move that few other athletes could replicate. While the move is illegal in U.S. competition rules, it's a real crowd-pleaser during his exhibition routines, and he's known to slip it into his competition routines as well.
Nowadays, Scott Hamilton is active in charity work, particularly the Special Olympics and the Make-A-Wish foundation. He was the Foundation's first "Celebrity Wish Granter of the Year," which highlights his dedication to philanthropy. Even more, he founded his own charity called the Scott Hamilton Cares Foundation to support the needs of cancer patients. His personal cancer journey inspired his passion for charity and helping other cancer patients
In 1997, Hamilton publicly battled testicular cancer, and later in 2004, they found a benign tumor in his brain, and two more years later, the third of which didn't go away until 2017. As for his family life, he married nutritionist Tracie Robinson on November 14, 2002. They moved to Franklin, Tennessee, and went on to welcome three sons and one daughter into the world.
