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Michael Phelps to write new book

‘Built to Succeed’ to tell the story behind his historic eight gold medals

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Photos: Michael Phelps through the years

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  1. Mini Mike

    Michael Phelps, 8, swam at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club in 1993. (Frank Kaufman / North Baltimore Aquatic Club via) Back to slideshow navigation

  2. Before the glory

    A fifteen-year-old Mchael Phelps made it to the final in the 200 meter butterfly in Sydney in 2000. (John Makely) Back to slideshow navigation
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    Presidential visit

    On the South Lawn of the White House, Michael Phelps jokes with team mates after President Clinton congratulated their efforts at the Sydney Oympic Games. (John Makely) Back to slideshow navigation

  4. Welcome back

    Michael Phelps was greeted by Towson High School's 1200 students when he returned from the Syndey Olympics. (Algerina Perna) Back to slideshow navigation

  5. Positioned to win

    Phelps gets ready for the start of the men's 100m butterfly during the 2001 Phillips 66 Summer National Championships at the Clovis West High School pool on Aug. 17, 2001, in Fresno, Calif. (Donald Miralle / Getty Images) Back to slideshow navigation

  6. Reaching for new heights

    Phelps practiced for the 2003 World Swimming Championships at the USA Team Training pool on July 15, 2003, in Narbonne, France. (Al Bello / Getty Images) Back to slideshow navigation
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  7. Showing off his moves

    The young swimmer gave his coach, Bob Bowman, the play-by-play after he took the gold and set an American record in men's 400-meter freestyle finals at the 2003 ConocoPhillips USA National Swimming Championships on Aug. 8, 2003, at the University of Maryland Campus Recreation Center Natatorium in College Park, Md. Phelps' time was 3:46.73. (Doug Pensinger / Getty Images) Back to slideshow navigation

  8. Winning stretch

    Phelps stretched prior to his heat of the 200-meter butterfly during a short course World Cup event in Melbourne, Australia, on Nov. 28, 2003. Phelps qualified second fastest for the final with a time of 1:56.83. (Greg Wood / AFP-Getty Images) Back to slideshow navigation
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  9. Going all in

    Phelps entered the pool at the start of the 200-meter individual medley final during the U.S. Olympic Swimming Team Trials on July 12, 2004, at the Charter All Digital Aquatics Centre in Long Beach, Calif. (Al Bello / Getty Images) Back to slideshow navigation
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  10. Familiar spotlight

    Gold medalist Phelps, center, silver medalist Takashi Yamamoto of Japan, left, and bronze medalist Stephen Parry of Great Britain pose for photographers during the medal ceremony of the men's swimming 200-meter butterfly event on Aug. 17, 2004, during the Athens 2004 Summer Olympic Games. Phelps won a total of six gold and two bronze medals in Athens. (Nick Laham / Getty Images) Back to slideshow navigation

  11. Rock hard

    The Olympic gold medalist, with MTV VJ Vanessa Minnillo, made an appearance on MTV's "Total Request Live" on Sept. 7, 2004, in New York City, where he showed off his swimmer's body. (Peter Kramer / Getty Images) Back to slideshow navigation
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  12. Golden tips

    Phelps gave instructions to swimmers during his visit to the Wu Xuyuan Sports School on Aug. 15, 2005, in Beijing. Phelps was in China's capital for a promotional tour of Asia. (Guang Niu / Getty Images) Back to slideshow navigation
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  13. Back in 1st

    Phelps prepared to race in the men's 200-meter butterfly final during the XII FINA World Championships at the Rod Laver Arena on March 27, 2007. in Melbourne, Australia. Phelps won the gold. (Al Bello / Getty Images) Back to slideshow navigation

  14. Perfect form

    Phelps competed in the men's 200-meter butterfly final at the National Aquatics Centre during Day 5 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on Aug. 13, 2008. He finished the race in a time of 1:52.49, a new world record. The win gave him his fourth gold medal of the Beijing Games, and his 10th gold overall to make him the winningest Olympian ever. (Adam Pretty / Getty Images) Back to slideshow navigation

  15. U.S. muscle

    From left to right, United States swimmers Ricky Berens, Ryan Lochte and Phelps celebrated finishing first in the men's 4 x 200-meter freestyle relay final held at the National Aquatics Center on Day 5 of the Beijing 2008 Olympics on Aug. 13. The team's win netted Phelps his fifth gold of the Games, and 11th gold total. (Nick Laham / Getty Images) Back to slideshow navigation

  16. Coming up with a win

    Phelps competed in the men's 200-meter butterfly final at the National Aquatics Centre during Day 5 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on Aug. 13, 2008. He finished the race in a time of 1:52.49, a new world record. The win gave him his fourth gold medal of the Beijing Games, and his 10th gold overall to make him the winningest Olympian ever. (Nick Laham / Getty Images) Back to slideshow navigation
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    He's golden

    Phelps smiled as he held his first gold medal in the Beijing 2008 Olympics after his world-record win in the finals of the men's 400-meter individual medley at the 2008 Beijing Olympics at the National Aquatics Center on Aug. 10. Phelps recorded a world record for that swim with a time of 4:03.84. (Kay Nietfeld / EPA) Back to slideshow navigation

  18. Nail biter

    Michael Phelps (second from left) touches home for gold, just ahead of Milorad Cavic from Serbia (third from left) in the men's 100-meter butterfly final. Andrew Lauterstein from Australia, right, took bronze ahead of U.S. simmer Ian Crocker, left. The victory tied Mark Spitz's all-time record of seven gold medals in one Olympics. (Patrick B. Kraemer / EPA) Back to slideshow navigation

  19. Come to Mama

    Michael Phelps of the United States goes to hug his mother Debbie, left, and his sister Hilary Phelps after the medal ceremony for men's 4x100-meter medley relay. The relay victory was his record-breaking eighth gold medal of the Beijing Games. (Itsuo Inouye / ASSOCIATED PRESS) Back to slideshow navigation

  20. A hand from the president

    Michael Phelps shakes hands with then-president George W. Bush after Bush made remarks to the 2008 US Summer Olympic and Paralympic teams on the South Lawn of the White House in October 2008. (Jonathan Ernst / Getty Images) Back to slideshow navigation
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  21. Buy the book

    Michael Phelps signs his book "No Limits: The Will To Succeed" at a Los Angeles bookstore in December 2008. Hundreds of fans lined up. (Jewel Samad / AFP - Getty Images) Back to slideshow navigation

  22. Meet the press

    Michael Phelps faces reporters before training at the Meadowbrook Aquatic Center on Feb. 6, 2009, in Baltimore. The swimming superstar had been suspended for three months and had his training stipend revoked by USA Swimming due to a photo that showed him with a bong. (Gail Burton / AP) Back to slideshow navigation

  23. Top form

    Michael Phelps wins the men's 100m butterfly final in record time at the FINA Swimming World Championships in Rome on Saturday, Aug. 1, 2009. (Michael Sohn / AP) Back to slideshow navigation

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updated 8/22/2008 10:18:35 AM ET 2008-08-22T14:18:35

Olympic superstar Michael Phelps will write a book telling the story behind his historic eight gold medal swims just in time for the holiday season, Free Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, announced Friday.

In “Built to Succeed,” Phelps will also cover his philosophy on training and competition, as well as his life being raised by a single mother and coping with an attention-deficit disorder, the publisher said.

The book is scheduled to be released in December.

Phelps, 23, became the winningest Olympian ever at this summer's Beijing games, winning eight golds to add to six previous Olympic first-place victories. He holds seven world records.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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