For an Olympic 'career', before Phelps the record was 9 gold medals won by gymnast Larissa Latynina of the Soviet Union, runner Paavo Nurmi of Finland, swimmer Mark Spitz of the United States, and Track and Field's Carl Lewis of the United States.
Larissa Letinina
Mark Spitz
Michael Phelps at this time has 19 medals.
He broke Mark Spitz record of 7 gold medals.
Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps
8 by Michael Phelps in 2008.
Michael phelps- he broke the record of 8 medals
Michael Phelps, he got 8 gold medals for swimming
It was Michael Phelps with eight gold medals a record.
Mark Spitz (USA) won 7 gold medals for swimming at the 1972 Munich Olympics.
As of the 2008 Games in Beijing, Michael Phelps holds the current record, winning 14 gold medals in the combined games of the 2004 Athens Olympics and 2008 Beijing Olympics. He holds the record for the most gold medals (8) won at a single Olympics.
The fastest swimmer in the Olympics is Michael Phelps from Baltimore, Maryland and he broke the world record of 7 gold medals by earning 8.
Winning the most gold medals in the olympics. That is, until Michael Phelps came along and beat his record.