Michael Phelps shows off all 23 Gold Medals on Sports Illustrated Cover

dynamitenews.com
Washington/ 21 December 2016. Phelps appeared on his 12th cover for the magazine wearing all 23 Olympic gold medals for the first time.

The most decorated Olympic athlete in history sat down with the magazine to discuss his decision to retire, which he announced in August during the 2016 Games in Rio. He won six more medals there in what he says was his final Olympics appearance ? five gold and one silver.

”I’m coming into my last four or five strokes, and I remember thinking, whatever happens, this is how it’s supposed to end,” Phelps said. “Maybe I’m going 6-for-6 and that’s perfect, or maybe Joe [Schooling] is going to hang on and I’m O.K. with that. That’s when I knew I was ready to retire. Any other time, I would have been livid about finishing second.”