Michael Phelps (b.1985) is the world’s most succesful Olympian (Most medals: 28 medals, Most Gold Medals: 23) and has broken 5 world records. He was diagnosed with ADHD aged 9.
People Magazine (2017)
“I [saw] kids who, we were all in the same class, and the teachers treated them differently than they would treat me,” he says. “I had a teacher tell me that I would never amount to anything and I would never be successful.”
[On having ADHD] “my whole entire life, and it’s something I continue to live with. It’s changed my life since the beginning.”
“Growing up, I was someone who was constantly bouncing off the walls — I could never sit still,”
“I think the biggest thing for me, once I found that it was okay to talk to someone and seek help, I think that’s something that has changed my life forever,” he says. “Now I’m able to live life to its fullest.”
New York Times (2008)
Michael Phelp’s Mother talking about his childhood:
[Preschool] “Teachers complained: Michael couldn’t stay quiet at quiet time, Michael wouldn’t sit at circle time, Michael didn’t keep his hands to himself, Michael was giggling and laughing and nudging kids for attention”.
[Kindergarden] “His teacher, ‘Michael can’t sit still, Michael can’t be quiet, Michael can’t focus,’”
[Elementary School] “: “‘Your son will never be able to focus on anything.’”
[Age 9]: Diagnosed with ADHD
[Age 10] Phelp’s Family became a swimming family “Michael’s older sister Whitney at 15 was ranked first in the country in the 200-meter butterfly, though her career would be cut short by a back injury.” “By 10, he was ranked nationally in his age group. Ms. Phelps watched the boy who couldn’t sit still at school sit for four hours at a meet waiting to swim his five minutes’ worth of races”.
[Age 11] Michael’s swim coach: ‘By 2000, I look for him to be in the Olympic trials”, “By 2004, he makes the Olympics. By 2008, he’ll set world records” “As it turned out, the boy would move four years faster”
The author’s concluding words: “The moral of her story, which offers hope for parents of any child with a challenge like A.D.H.D.: Too many adults looked at Ms. Phelps’s boy and saw what he couldn’t do. This week, the world will be tuned to the Beijing Olympics to see what he can do”.