Which magazine named Michael Phelps its Sportsman of the Year in 2008?

Sports Illustrated named Michael Phelps its Sportsman of the Year in 2008.

The honor recognized his extraordinary performance at the Beijing Olympics, where he won eight gold medals. That total broke Mark Spitz’s long-standing record of seven golds at a single Olympic Games, set in 1972.

Phelps’s Beijing campaign included victories in individual events such as the 200-meter freestyle, 100-meter butterfly, and 200-meter individual medley, as well as relay races. Several wins set world records, and his eighth gold medal came in the 4×100-meter medley relay.

The title is sometimes confused with awards from the U.S. Olympic Committee or with Sports Illustrated’s broader “Sportsperson of the Year” naming. In this quiz’s wording, “Sportsman of the Year” refers to the magazine’s 2008 recognition of Phelps after his record-setting Olympics.