2. Michael Phelps-2008 Summer Games
Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympic athlete in history and those in second are not even close to his record. He holds 28 total Olympic medals. Out of those 28 medals, 23 of them are gold. This is also a record. Phelps began his reign of swimming dominance in 2004 when he won 6 gold medals and 2 bronze. However, in 2008 he bravely claimed he was swimming in 8 events and planned to win all of them, doing one better than the then-record holder, Mark Spitz.
Phelps managed to win all 5 individual events and then had to rely on his team to help get the remaining 3. Phelps managed to win the 8 gold he wanted. He would return in 2012 to win 4 gold and 2 silver medals then returned in 2016 to win 5 gold medals and 2 silver. He is the only swimmer in the history of the Olympics to have won the gold 3 times in the 100m butterfly, 200m butterfly, 200m medley, and place in every individual and relay event in 4 different Olympic campaigns.
