Michael Phelps Named 2016 Rio Olympics Swim Team Captain

One of the greatest Olympians to ever take the pool has a new title to add to his list of honors. On Tuesday, Michael Phelps was named captain of the United States Olympic swimming team ahead of the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, per Nick Zaccardi of NBC Sports' Olympic Talk. 

It is the first time in his storied career that Phelps will lead the Olympic team, and he will be joined by fellow captains Nathan Adrian, Anthony Ervin, Elizabeth Beisel, Cammile Adams and Allison Schmitt. 

Phelps will be competing in a record-tying fifth Games in an Olympic career that began when he was a 15-year-old at the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney. 

In the 12 years and three Olympic Games that followed, Phelps earned 18 gold medals, the most ever by any Olympian, along with two silvers and two bronzes. 

His most dominant stretch came in the 2004 Games in Athens, Greece, and the 2008 Games in Beijing, as he won gold in 14 straight events. The eight he won in Beijing broke the record of seven Mark Spitz set in 1972 and he set in 2004.

Gold medal No. 8 in 2008 came in the most dramatic fashion too, as he had to watch Jason Lezak come from behind to edge out France in the 4x100-meter relay.

Of those 14 victories, four of them were Olympic records, while eight of them were world records. After the 2012 London Games, though, Phelps tried out retirement. It didn't last long, however, as he was back in the pool by April 2014.

At 31 years old, Phelps will only be competing in three individual events, but according to Zaccardi, he could be on an additional three relay teams in Rio. In what is expected to be his final Olympics, it's fitting Phelps will have an opportunity to lead his country in the pool as he looks to add to his already expansive medal collection. 

Stats courtesy of Sports-Reference.com.