Phelps v Shark: Olympic Legend To Race Great White To Kick Off 'Shark Week'

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The man considered by many to be the greatest Olympic swimmer ever will take on the water's deadliest predator in a televised race.

Michael Phelps, a 23-time gold medal winner, will swim against a Great White shark as part of Discovery Channel's popular "Shark Week" series.

While most Great Whites can swim up to 25 mph in the open water, Phelps - who holds 39 world records - has been clocked at just around 6 mph. It's not yet known what stroke Phelps will use to make up that differential.

Phelps holds the current record for the 100-meter and 200-meter butterfly.

Shark Week gets underway July 23 on Discovery Channel.

Read more
f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.