Michael Phelps: Ready for London games?

The Olympic gold swimmer is back to a strict training regimen after a lull that included skipping practice and uncertainty about returning to the games. Anderson Cooper reports.

[@freethink12]

I kind of understand his attitude after '08. Not that I condone drugs or laziness even, but I can see how he would be dying to explore everything at his age. His talent locked him in a strict lifestyle for years and he's probably never had the chance to just have fun in his teenage years like the rest of us.

[@ElizabethBWang]

Michael Phelps: 2000 Olympics in Sydney at 15, we notice your name 2004 Olympics in Athens at 19, we heard your name 2008 Olympics in Beijing at 23, we knew your name 2012 Olympics in London at 27, we remember your name 2016 Olympics in Rio at 31, we wont ever forget your name Cheers to one of the greatest Olympic athlete ever!!!

[@jennieapplehead]

💖💖💖

[@monkeysweaty512]

one of?

[@harleyquinn5826]

Even crazier watching this after he´s just finished with 28 medals in Rio...

[@mamabutterfly3763]

I admire him and his mother so greatly. Not only for his success and all the medals he earned but for the person he is. The kind gentleman he is. How he adores his mother and his wife and new baby boy too. To the world he is an unstoppable decorated Olympic legend but when he sat down for an interview on ESPN he shared some of his most intimate struggles that no one ever knew. After all he is still a person, he is human. He feels pain just like others do. With all his success and his record breaking title, there is still a person behind all that achievement and had felt heartache in life just as you and I do. I admire him for that and his mother too. She raised him well with no credit to his father.

[@juwanm7115]

the moment Anderson Cooper said "his passion for swimming may have faded" broke my heart into a million pieces

[@julzangold]

As a swimmer, I've always looked up to Michael Phelps. Nothing has changed! He is back on his game, and you know what? Celebrities have "drug problems" all the time and he's man enough to admit it was a one time mistake and that he can't have any regrets. He's a great swimmer, and great guy, and great mentor! Love you Phelps, and go kick some butt like we all know you can

[@elizabethcastellanos9221]

I love how under that chlorine musk and that competitive brain, Micheal is just a super nerdy, shy, nice and gentle guy.

[@Cowfish1001]

crazy watching this right now. 4 years later and he has a child, finance, and is wrapping up Olympic Trials in Rio. Insane...

[@jasonmcmechan2072]

Corbett Foster God bless!

[@NRClips3414]

Wow, you rèally did watch this 60 minute at the perfect time because of the rio Olympics.

[@freethink12]

I row competitively-nothing close to olympic level-but at the end of a really hardcore season all I want is a summer away from training. The strain on the body and the effect it has on your emotions and mental strength can really be enormous. Imagine what it's like not getting a break for years and years.

[@stefan130189]

i mean what do they want from him? he won 8 golds in beijing only. they are all too strict. guy needs a break sometimes so what? who wouldnt want a break after that?

[@Nitya-r86]

Seriously.

[@lucaskincanyon7393]

"How was it posing" "Pretty nice"

[@mdb392]

11 o'clock in the afternoon

[@idive5358]

that can give you an idea of how early he used to wake up lol

[@PrincetonGrL8181]

I can't wait to see Michael Phelps winning more gold medals at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London!!

[@Johnny7051MC]

11 O'clock in the afternoon?

[@likac92009]

Great interview.

[@Smarty24686]

Don't retire! We love you!

[@sdotsmitty89]

GREATEST ATHLETE OF ALL TIME. NOBODY HAS DOMINATED ANY SPORT LIKE HIM. 'MERICA!

[@sunnyram7332]

Legend is an understatement!

[@nooked23]

i feel for em. hes been training all of his life so he hasnt been able to have a normal life and just chill. hope everything works out for him

[@tommypyxell]

"i want to go to Rio 2016 she says" "no chance im competing im retired he says" "total bullshit i say" -me 4 years ago "i knew it" -me today

[@TheTamalelei]

Mr. Cooper, it's not "two thousand AND eight," "two thousand AND nine," or "two thousand AND ten." When saying numbers, "and" is only used in place of the decimal. I love you, Michael!

[@SilverMentis]

It's amazing that he can just loss a gold medal and not even notice, especially when you think about all the Olympians who just want one gold. Kinda goes to show how great of an athlete his is that he has so many golds

[@fenderstratADHD]

I wonder if Bob (Michael's coach) has met Buck Showalter?? (manager of the Orioles) Both have that disciplinary "attitude" if u know what I mean but both are very nice men. I have met Buck and he's a very nice guy but I'm sure that he's got his "attitude" when he's with the guys.

[@xMheezy]

Honestly, this made me respect him more. :/

[@miker6570]

Now we know why he is going to rio. His mom bribed him to go so she can go on a real vacation LOL.

[@auddn0620]

+miker6570 yep that was all MOM. Thanks, Mrs. Phelps!! :D

[@jasonmcmechan2072]

miker6570 God bless!

[@redmustang03]

He is the greatest Olympian ever. Now one will EVER break his record of 8 golds and now all time medals. You can hate him or like him those facts will never change.

[@ElectricClothes]

I hope he does well!

[@nateynate5237]

I have the same thing and that is not necessarily slow, just room for improvement.

[@illeskobar]

lol at the exchange @5:30 He missed months Months? Maybe 6 weeks

[@09STC]

His training regimen is insane.

[@slee331]

It's amazing how different his build is to usain bolts. One a pure land animal, the other a human dolphin

[@ErichBaltzellProductions]

You showed them..

[@YOUchris15]

i can really relate to phelps and im sure most of you other swimmer do too. we practice like 6 days a week 3 hours a day or maybe even more and it really is a pain in the ass because you dont have time for anything else. Just experiencing the beginning of summer without swimming is the best feeling in the world.

[@nedopking]

he lost a lot of my respect when that happened. But now I was just recently thinking that he might do that stuff, but he still trains and works harder than anyone else. And training hard is probably more important than smoking/not smoking

[@cmouseplane]

The Greatest swimmer of all time. The Greatest in the World. Not bad for being only 27.

[@danbay26]

Give him a break. Dude won 8 gold medals and got a taste of the media and an actual break he wanted it. I hope he wins some more medals before he gets that long break he deserves. Go Phelps!

[@kristiabdullah8994]

You're the best swimmer ever I going to be just like I hope you come back for swimming

[@saifalhammadi3822]

every hero has his downfall then they shine once again, what a legend

[@SalamKhan-lz6uv]

Mom's words are true, she said Rio and he went to become unbeatable.

[@16Mind]

idk either

[@PinStripes41]

yeah, on the weekend that is considered the break of dawn for me

[@panheadgirlofskillet]

Boy I'm gonna miss him :(

[@woahhcat]

he's got such a push with every butterfly stroke jeesus

[@rvids01]

Michael Phelps' mom blinks like heck!!! LOL.

[@123japanuser]

7:57 - 7:59 Ripley's believe it or Not Phelps style

[@Accountdoc9282]

Crazy

[@Aizhaqueeni]

I hope he does awesome again in Rio, I'd hate to see things turn to shit for him. Not to mention us lol To be outdone by obviously lesser athletes? Our Michael, our Missy, our Katie..? NoOoOoOoo!!

[@harrue]

You the real mvp

[@utmch2003]

12:35 how do you do that?

[@redmustang03]

The way that happens is if there is someone better out there and right now no.

[@er1cmaurer]

I kinda feel sorry for him. Phelps did say that Michael Jordan is his inspirational athlete. Well, Jordan didn't lose interest after one championship.

[@InspireTerenaThiTran]

Oh Michael phelps is just too cute :DD

[@imanixo406]

People need to stop giving him so much shit ugh let the poor guy live his life. Sure fourth place is not where he belongs oh well move on and do better in the rest, don't judge people so harshly. You never understand how hard it is to be a swimmer until you become one.

[@punkwarlord]

4:03 to 4:15 insane amount of blinking

[@jeffliu3896]

eventhough he didn't work that hard, he still got 6 gold medals,which is unbelievable

[@Kingvirat97]

Very nice

[@irisosrs]

probably 4... He might beat Lochte in the 200 free or IM or both, but it's not likely. Also, the 4 x 100 free relay probably won't win.

[@nlong88]

Good for MP. He's made all that money, now after this summer he gets to go spend it the way he wants.

[@vladivanovSports]

Insane!

[@shirleumcdaniel]

WOOOHOOOOOOOOO ANOTHER WIN!!

[@Donut1298]

I hope Michael can get those Gold Medals

[@peteypab16]

As much as I wanna see him compete in Rio 2016 . Can't blame the guy for wanting to live

[@MrSouthphillyitalian]

I see him winning 5 gold metals atleast

[@dandymcgee]

He tried marijuana once? OMFG!!! end of the world. Seriously, this guy is fucking awesome, I don't care what anybody says. He is the most honest and humble winner I have ever seen.

[@TheDGrimz]

Im rooting for anyone but Michael Phelps...Go Anyone! (But Michael Phelps)

[@jdelgado0142]

lol i didn't know they're was an 11:00 in the afternoon....

[@mrmikespence1964]

(KNOW-LEDGE)!!! THE! (L-EGEND)!!! MICHAEL!!! PHELPS!!!

[@Sweeneyelawl]

he hotboxxes his bead

[@Nate544444]

yep. that's exactly what I'm saying.

[@Baronstone]

Its close enough! Seriously, who the heck sleeps that long?

[@shirleumcdaniel]

SEE THE WORLD MICHAEL,.. LIFE IS SHORT.... YOU'VE BEEN IN THE BOWL LONG ENOUGH!!!!!!

[@Nate544444]

true that. I don't blame phelps. in fact I like phelps for the most part. but being worth over 40 million dollars for swimming is out right crazy.

[@sabirge1]

"I'd wake up at like.......11 in the afternoon"

[@verward]

I honestly never got what the pot controversy was about. Why shouldn't a top athlete be allowed to have some fun on a day off?

[@BronwynAlexandriaa]

lol listening about michael phelps awesome weight training and daily workouts. me: i just had ice cream.

[@cubbys2888]

GO PHELPS!!!!

[@rsdude54]

Not his fault he got the silver medal. In fact, he had the fastest split out of his relay. It was Lochte, who is not familiar with the 100 free that dragged them down to silver. Also he got fourth mostly because he hadn't intended to swim the 400im but then decided to put it back on his program.

[@kyleweidman5753]

hopefully he doesnt blow all his money away...

[@MsAsh496]

go to rio u need it

[@Nate544444]

plus you said he deserves every penny he gets. well if you think that swimming fast deserves over 40 million dollars well then I will leave you with that.

[@jnelleiz]

He describes his "pathetic" "lazy" days and I'm like... wait.. that sounds like what I do everyday.

[@raisa863]

Go Phelps you'll get gold it was only the first game

[@ItzsarahxBla]

Awesome right

[@jnelleiz]

Literally LOL'ed at your comment. Too funny.

[@NishDoc-j4x]

12:50

[@Pheyt14]

This is 13 minutes... T_T

[@LJ3pg23]

American Hero.

[@Katy51844]

I would hope that her language is a bit better than yours. Doesn't matter where you graduated from, you don't need to use that language. Now back to my book. I do read, you know.

[@Peteluver145]

oh..... it was a bong, not a pipe

[@pbryson]

MICHAEL PHELPS: AMERICAN BONG HERO

[@TheRainMan901]

He doesnt care anymore being a swimmer takes a lot of dedication he just went to the olympics to break Larisa Latynina record and thats it you cant expect the same guy that got 8 gold medals he is tired probably wants to enjoy his dam life without being in a pool, lochte is not even half the athlete phelps is, doesnt mean he is not good but you just cant compare them.

[@redmustang03]

I meant 8 golds in Bejing.

[@jerryxiao2595]

22 Medals in 12 years. Story I will one day tell my kids about

[@bobxvi3538]

Phelps needs a fucking break. He's been training for 5 fucking years. He just NEEDS a fucking break from swimming and actually see life.

[@kyleshadeck8879]

But if it's his choice to continue and he loves what he's doing, then there's nothing wrong with that.

[@geronimo2635]

Well he did have a 2 year break after the 2012 Olympics

[@kyleshadeck8879]

+Geronimo exactly, and he even said that he came back because he missed it. And also at 2good4u, try 18 years (excluding the 2 years he took off after London) he's been training for the olympics. If you're going to try to judge what the greatest Olympian of all time should be doing, at least know all the facts.

[@projectjt3149]

+2good4u not just 5 years. He's been going to the pool since he was seven. And now if you look at it that way, no wonder why he just gives up and do drugs sometimes.

[@DeadMan_W]

11 in the afternoon? lol

[@H.J.L]

Not chance I’m going to Rio 😂

[@heidihassel9802]

he has 16 golds

[@crimson35124]

kinda wonder what it was to make him so depressed enough to do drugs after winning 8 in beijing. my guess is that since he was sorta pushed to swim since he was only a little kid, he wanted to regain some lost time to just have fun that he didn't have in his childhood

[@AndySaenz]

That model from the photo shoot is HOT!!!! She's beautiful!!

[@elijahking100]

What up with his socks....