I think if you really just have a wide-open mind
and use your imagination,
I think a lot of things are possible.
I swim here and eat and sleep and just hang out, pretty much.
It's a thrill every day to come into work
because he does things
which I'm quite sure I'll never see again.
I hate to lose. I think just
the whole Olympic atmosphere is going to be exciting
and I really can't wait for it.
I want it to happen today.
Michael Phelps was born in Baltimore.
When he was a child,
he was scared of even putting his face underwater.
He began swimming at the age of seven, and in his teens,
Michael was training at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club,
swimming close to 100 miles a week.
He even trained on Christmas Day to gain that extra edge.
It's one reason why we train seven days a week,
why we train on Christmas, why we train on Thanksgiving,
365 days a year.
It gives you that extra day of training that no-one else has.
There aren't many clubs that train seven days a week,
so that gives you one extra set training session
every single week where you can pick something up.
So I'm getting 52 more practices
than everybody else is. That's going to make that
little all-over big difference in the end.
I think everyone dreams about breaking a world record
every single time they get in the pool
but more than likely, it's not going to happen.
I mean, I couldn't get in the race today and say
I'm going to break a world record
because I'm not prepared.
There are a lot of things that go into it.
Michael is double-jointed in the elbows, knees and ankles -
just one of his many advantages in the pool.
All right, ready? Go.
He's been coached by Bob Bowman since he was 11.
Michael was always a very superior athlete
and I think had physical skills
and was also extremely competitive at a young age.
It was very obvious
to see that he would be a special swimmer.
I don't think you can point to any one thing
that makes him great,
but he has the physical tools, he has the right body shape,
he had a family that understood swimming on a high level
and supported his efforts.
He happened to swim for a club
that had a history of producing Olympic gold medallists.
All those things sort of came together
and I think there's a combination of factors.
Nice job. Keep it going. Keep it going, Michael!
We're very close.
I think a good swimmer-coach relationship is needed
once you get to a higher level in the sport.
And definitely ours is extremely high
and we're extremely close and friends.
So I've been very fortunate to have him as a coach.
Come on, man. Squeeze your butt together at the end.
Squeeze your butt together at the end of that kick.
It's a thrill every day to come into work
because he does things
which I'm quite sure I'll never see again.
I try to enjoy what he's doing.
And challenging him is a challenge in itself
because he can handle virtually anything you throw at him.
So I have to stay on my toes to keep him going.
I've swum with the group I swim with for five or ten years.
We've all known each other and been around each other
the whole time so it's just fun.
Like I said, it's like my family.
Back in 2004, there was talk of Michael trying to win
seven gold medals at the Athens Olympics.
Anything is possible.
But it's not one of the things
that is number one on my mind right now.
I came back from Sydney with nothing.
So really, going to Athens
and getting something is the goal.
There's not much else that goes on.
It's pretty much a laid-back life.
Like I said, I swim here and eat and sleep
and just hang out pretty much.
At this stage of his life, away from swimming,
Michael's big love was his new car, his customised Cadillac.
This is a little flip-out TV.
It's all touch-screen.
And then we have two in the back.
One on each headrest.
A 15-inch Eclipse Titanium subwoofer.
Sort of gives me some...
I guess a little more fun, a little more bass to it.
And then under the TVs, we have some Xbox.
And then...
..they're all, um, 22-inch.
They're called spinners.
And when you go and you stop at a traffic light,
they keep spinning when you stop.
I think he has a lot of options.
Because he swims so many events and because he's so young,
I think he just has a lot to look forward to
after this year.
Just physiologically, he'll become stronger,
mentally, he'll grow and become more mature.
He can decide to pursue any number of different events
than he's training now. So I think
the future is bright for him and the options are open.
Not many people in the US, or in the world, for that,
can say they're an Olympic gold medallist.
So coming back with one gold medal, obviously,
I'll be completely happy. One gold medal is all I want.
You're a more recognisable, notable person
with the gold medal. So one gold medal is my goal.
And whatever happens after that, happens.