Practice Listening 6

Michael Phelps, born in Maryland in 1985, became a successful American swimmer after being inspired by the 1996 Olympic Games. He became the youngest American male swimmer to compete at the Olympics at age 15 and went on to win a record-breaking 23 gold medals. Phelps is considered one of the greatest swimmers ever. Michael Phelps was born on June 30, 1985, in Maryland, U.S.A. He is a famous American swimmer. He started swimming when his two sisters joined a local swimming team. When he saw American swimmers compete at the 1996 Olympic Games, he dreamt of becoming a champion. He was the youngest American male swimmer to take part in the Olympic Games at the age of 15. Since then, he has won a total of 23 Olympic gold medals. No other swimmer before Phelps has achieved the same success. That makes him one of the greatest swimmers of all time.