With 16 Olympic gold medals and seven world records in swimming, a DUI at the age of 19 and photos of the swimmer using a bong circulating on the Internet, 23-year-old Michael Phelps has caused quite a stir both in and out of the water. At 6 feet 4 inches tall, Phelps won eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Games, securing the record for the most gold medals at a single Olympics. Born in Baltimore, Phelps grew up in a family of swimmers, with his two older sisters competing as well. He graduated from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 2008, with a degree in sports marketing and management.
In addition to his performance in the pool, Phelps generated headlines for the 12,000 calories he said he consumes daily when competing to fuel that performance. He told NBC that breakfast on a normal day could consist of 3 fried egg sandwiches, 2 cups coffee, a 5-egg omlette, a bowl of grits, 3 pieces of french toast and 3 chocolate chip pancakes, while dinner may be 1 pound of pasta, 1 large pizza, and a 1,000-calorie energy drink.