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28 Olympic Medals Later, Michael Phelps Retires

Even if your knowledge of sports is slight, you've probably heard of swimming legend Michael Phelps. After dominating the pool over the course of four Olympics and procuring 28 medals, Phelps is now officially retiring from the sport, but not before posing for a Sports Illustrated cover in which he wears his 23 gold medals—all at the same time.

It's Phelps's twelfth SI cover, and "[a]lthough other Olympians have been on more covers … none can come close to the Olympic success Phelps has enjoyed." It's a "success so remarkable that even he admits he can't wrap his head around what 28 Olympic medals mean."

"I can't process 28. It's too much," Phelps said.

Some more perspective on what 28 Olympic medals looks like: Together, the medals weigh "more than 18 pounds," and "if he had been his own nation at the last four Olympic Games, Phelps would rank 13th in gold medals, just two behind the 25 won by the Netherlands."

Potential Preaching Angles: It's easy to look at figures like Phelps and long for a legacy that seems so secure, achievements that are as concrete and impressive as a pile of gold. But remember that we're supposed to be storing up treasure elsewhere (Matt. 6:19-21).

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