Michael Phelps gets nostalgic over special moment at debut World Championships

American swimming legend Michael Phelps took to social media to reflect on his first-ever World Aquatics Championships performance in 2001. Phelps competed in the 200m butterfly and won his first-ever world title at the age of 16, establishing himself as one of the top swimming prospects in the USA. He posted a world-record time of 1:54.58 in the event.

Michael Phelps is considered one of the greatest athletes ever. He had a highly decorated career, winning 28 Olympic medals, making him the athlete with the most Olympic medals ever. Phelps specialized in the butterfly and individual medley events, winning multiple medals in the 100m and 200m butterfly, as well as the 200m and 400m individual medley. He retired following the Rio 2016 Olympics, where he once again impressed on the international stage by winning five gold medals and one silver.

In a story shared on Instagram, Phelps reacted to a post made by World Aquatics, which featured a 16-year-old Phelps at the 2001 World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan.

"First worlds back in 01! 😳"

Still taken from Phelps' Instagram (source: @m_phelps00/Instagram)

Following his retirement, Phelps has focused on his personal life, spending more time with his family and also advocating for mental health.

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Michael Phelps on his first World Championships: "I freaked out about it"

Michael Phelps at the 2025 SheBelieves Cup - Source: Getty

Michael Phelps previously discussed his first World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, where he won a gold medal in the 200m butterfly.

Phelps returned to Japan for an interview with World Aquatics in 2023 and reflected on winning his first World Championship gold.

“This is the first time I've been back to this pool since I won my first world championship gold, in 200 fly. From that event, I can remember my semifinal swim was – I freaked out about it. Franck Esposito and Tom Malchow both went 1:55.03. I went 1:56 and I had like a full-blown panic attack. My coach, Bob Bowman, basically said to me, 'No, you're prepared. Just go do what you know how to do,'" said Phelps. "At that very moment, I felt he had confidence in me and I was able to relax. So when you get up onto the block, don't be nervous. Don't be scared. Because you've done all the work. Everything I did throughout my career – it’s not rocket science. It was work. I was working as hard as I possibly could every single day," he added.

Michael Phelps competed against Tom Malchow, who was the former world record holder in the 200m butterfly.

Edited by Rupesh