As part of the 2017 Phelps LATAM Tour , the most decorated Olympian of all time went to a sports store located in Mexico City, where he talked to young swimmers who dream of becoming the next sports legends.
“I didn't miss a single training in five years,” said Michel Phelps, 32, who stressed the importance of beating the goals you've set for yourself.
Kids aged between 5 and 14 attended his conference, the perfect age for them to start swimming professionally and, why not? Become the next Michael Phelps.
“When I was 11 I set myself several goals and by the time I was 15, I had already achieved two of them; every four years I'd set new goals for myself,” said the swimmer.
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, in the United States, Phelps has won a total of 28 Olympic medals for his performance in the Olympic Games of Beijing 2008 and Rio 2016 – although he participated in the 2004 Games in Athens, he left without standing on the podium.
However, Phelps is the first to recognize becoming the greatest athlete of all times doesn't happen overnight.
“If it were easy, anyone would do it; it was hard becoming the first Michael Phelps.”
It must be even harder for someone like Michael Phelps to have an idol but, as he revealed to the kids here in Mexico, he does have one: Michael Jordan.
“The one I admire the most is Michael Jordan. I played basketball as a kid and saw how he was the best of them all.”
Talking about the many countries he has visited, he confessed his favorite country to compete in was Australia although he couldn't forget to mention Rio de Janeiro , Brazil, as this was the country which saw his final professional performance before his retirement.
Several kids of the swimming school Acuática Nelson went to the shopping center Antara, in Polanco, and got to ask him questions and get the autograph of the greatest swimmer in the history of this sport.
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