{"id":234212,"date":"2016-12-20T08:43:58","date_gmt":"2016-12-20T15:43:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=234212"},"modified":"2016-12-20T09:02:34","modified_gmt":"2016-12-20T16:02:34","slug":"michael-phelps-poses-with-all-23-gold-medals-on-sports-illustrated-cover","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/michael-phelps-poses-with-all-23-gold-medals-on-sports-illustrated-cover\/","title":{"rendered":"Michael Phelps Poses With All 23 Gold Medals on Sports Illustrated Cover"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sports Illustrated today debuts its exclusive new cover featuring U.S. Olympic swimmer\u00a0Michael Phelps<\/strong>\u00a0wearing all 23 of his record-setting gold medals with a cover line that calls him, \u201cThe Greatest Olympian of All Time<\/strong>.\u201d The new cover shot marks the first time Phelps has been photographed wearing all of the record-setting hardware at once. SI senior writer Tim Layden<\/strong> spent time with Phelps for an in-depth cover profile of the greatest Olympian ever as he goes out on top after a historic career and an amazing year in sports and looks forward to his next chapter. For the piece, SI also spoke to those close to him including his wife Nicole Phelps<\/strong>, longtime coach Bob Bowman<\/strong>, Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank<\/strong>, Clippers guard Chris Paul<\/strong>, mother\u00a0Debbie Phelps\u00a0<\/strong>and more as each weigh in on his legacy and the possibility of his return for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.<\/p>\n

\"sports-illustrated-michael-phelps-cover\"<\/p>\n

Photo Courtesy: Sports Illustrated<\/p>\n

See the new cover and read Tim Layden\u2019s new cover story now:\u00a0on.si.com\/2h7zuWO<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

This is the 12th time that Phelps has been featured on the cover of SI<\/a> and the third time this year. In an exclusive for Sports Illustrated, Phelps was photographed by Simon Bruty<\/strong> wearing his record-setting accomplishments of 23 gold medals and 28 total medals (total weight: 18 lbs., 4 oz.) accumulated over his storied career. Watch behind-the-scenes video and check out a photo gallery from the SI shoot with Michael Phelps on SI.com<\/a> and on SI\u2019s twitter<\/a> and Facebook<\/a> channels.<\/p>\n

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SI\u2019S\u00a0EXCLUSIVE WITH MICHAEL PHELPS<\/u>:<\/p>\n

On the possibility of returning to the Olympics, Phelps tells SI<\/strong>: \u201cI could probably go four more years\u2026 But could I put in the true, honest hard work? Probably. But I have so many other things going\u2026 And there\u2019s no reason. I\u2019m tapping out. I\u2019m closing. I\u2019m done.\u201d<\/p>\n

On what he\u2019ll miss most<\/strong>: \u201cThe hardest thing is going to be not having the chance to represent my country. Not having the chance to stand on the medal platform and hear the national anthem\u2026 I\u2019m at peace with how things ended. I\u2019d rather have a healthy body in 20 years<\/span> than kill myself more now. To me, it\u2019s a no-brainer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kevin Plank, CEO of Under \u00adArmour, which signed Phelps to a five-year deal in 2015 says of a possible return<\/strong>: \u201cTokyo is going to be a great Olympics. He said he was retiring after London, when he was 27, with the lung capacity of a great white shark. You can bet I\u2019m going to be nudging him as best I can for the next four years. I think he believes he is retired now. Three years is a long time to rest.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0On Phelps\u2019 future with the\u00a0company headquartered in his hometown of Baltimore: “<\/strong>I\u2019ll say this, the role Michael will serve with us won\u2019t be ceremonial.\u201d<\/p>\n

Phelps says that LA Clippers guard Chris Paul thinks his son will push him to continue swimming<\/strong>: \u201cI played golf with Chris Paul in September. He didn\u2019t go to Rio, and he told me, \u2018Wait until your son is old enough and he says, \u2018Daddy, why aren\u2019t you out there?\u2019\u201d\u00a0Chris Paul predicts to SI<\/strong>: \u201cHe\u2019s going to get that edge again. He\u2019s too competitive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nicole Phelps says of a potential return to swimming<\/strong>: “I see that being the only thing that could bring him back\u2014to swim for [his son] Boomer.”<\/p>\n

Phelps\u2019 longtime coach Bob Bowman tells SI<\/strong>: “I was certain he wouldn\u2019t come back after London because he hated it so much. This time I\u2019m certain he won\u2019t come back because he loved it so much.\u201d<\/p>\n

Phelps talks to SI about how he envisions his MP brand of racing swimwear as a competitor to Arena and Speedo<\/strong>: \u201cIn a dream world \u2026 I would love to get Katie Ledecky<\/strong> [signed].\u201d<\/p>\n

On how his role changed at the 2016 Rio Olympics compared to his previous appearances<\/strong>: “I was never a leader, I was never even really there \u2026 This time I was part of the team.”<\/p>\n

Watch “Behind The Scenes” footage of the making of Phelps’ 12th cover:<\/p>\n