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At 31, Michael Phelps has been to five Olympic games. He won 23 gold medals, three silver medals and two bronze medals. His total of 28 makes Phelps the most decorated Olympian in history. At 6 feet 4 inches tall, Phelps has a physique that is naturally prediposed to swim through water , but he still had to learn how to optimize his body. For one, he slept — a lot. Early on in his career, Phelps learned to be able to swim seven days a week, covering between 70,000 and 100,000 yards each week, he had to get a lot of shut-eye. When he was training, Phelps slept eight hours a night and took a two- to three-hour nap each afternoon. While Phelps spent the majority of his days in either the pool or his bed, here are five habits he follows outside the water that made him a powerhouse. HE WRITES DOWN GOALS AND KEEPS THEM ON HIS NIGHTSTAND Phelps has found it helps to put his goals down on paper and to frequently look them over, especially after a tough day. The swimmer...

Ten years ago today, a seismic headbutt shook up the world of football. In the 2006 World Cup final in Berlin on July 9, 2006, with France and Italy locked at 1-1 in extra time, the great Zinedine Zidane — playing in his last-ever match as a player — wandered past Azzurri defender Marco Materazzi. Amid the din of a tense Olympiastadion, thousands in Berlin and millions worldwide watched on as the Frenchman exchanged words with the Italian. Time seemed to freeze as Zidane held his opponent's gaze, locked, loaded, and unleashed an extraordinary headbutt straight into Materazzi's sternum. It earned Zidane — one of the most decorated players of his time and a god among Les Bleus and Real Madrid fans alike — a red card as he marched furiously past the World Cup trophy, an ignomous end to his playing career. What was said between the two? Rumours and allegations of a slur against Zidane's sister have long since done the rounds as football fans speculated...

At the year's beginning the long reign of the 'Big Four' seemed to be in some danger. The dominance of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray was not as clear cut as in the past. Not only was age catching up with them, a whole set of young challengers notably Marin Cilic of Croatia, Alexander Zverev of Germany, Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina, Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria and Dominic Thiem of Austria had made rapid progress. The gap in the rankings was narrowing and it appeared that a new order might just take over from the old guard. Yet as we come to the end of the season tournaments with the conclusion of the US Open, the last Grand Slam of the year, the old guard has made it clear that they are not yet ready to ride off into the sunset. For a start the four Grand Slam events were all won by three of the quartet, with Federer winning the Australian Open, Nadal as usual reigning king at Roland Garros, and Djokovic emerging triumpha...

Basketball superstar LeBron James just made sports history by leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to victory over the Boston Celtics last season and into their  fourth straight NBA   Finals , where they will,  yet again , face the Golden State Warriors. This will be 8th straight final for him , a feat matched  by only other four players. Throughout his career, James has demonstrated the secret to his success: being flexible and a team player. In his case, this has meant being on top of not only his role and the skills it requires, but also learning what the other players on his team need to do to be their best. Earlier in the season, James helped the Cavaliers beat the Chicago Bulls by starting on a position he hasn't played in 12 years. In an interview James said that, if his coach switches him to different positions on the basketball court, he is able to adapt quickly, thanks to what he learned playing the sport during his childhood. ...

Conor McGregor says he will beat Khabib Nurmagomedov by "devastating knockout" in his comeback UFC fight in Las Vegas on Saturday. Speaking on  Ariel Helwani's MMA Show , Irishman McGregor added he would "never announce his retirement" from MMA. McGregor, 30, will return to the octagon for the first time in almost two years when he fights Russia's undefeated UFC lightweight champion Nurmagomedov in UFC 229. "I'm going to maul him," McGregor said. "I will clatter him; he will crumble. I don't think he can take a smack. He reacts like a novice. McGregor's last appearance in UFC came in November 2016 when he beat Eddie Alvarez to add the lightweight belt to his featherweight title. He was later stripped of both titles because of inactivity, with Nurmagomedov being installed as lightweight champion earlier this year - a decision that still grates with McGregor. In an earlier interview  he said he "fell out ...

Known for his clutch shooting, Reggie Miller scored 25,279 points in 18 seasons with the Indiana Pacers. A volatile, high-voltage scorer from the off guard position, Reggie Miller was one of the supreme shooters of any era. With 2,560 made 3-pointers, he ended his career as the NBA's greatest long range shooter. He poured in 25,279 points to finish his career in 12th place on league's all-time scoring list. Since his retirement, he's been surpassed by Ray Allen as the NBA's all-time 3-point king and has moved down several pegs on the all-time scoring list. Still, his legend looms large. Miller had a penchant for the spectacular clutch shot in gunslinger fashion that made him a feared and despised opponent. His heroic play down the stretch of games became known as "Miller Time." The slender 6-foot-7, 190-pound former UCLA Bruin was selected with the 11th overall pick at the 1987 Draft by the Indiana Pacers. He spent his entire 18-year c...