One of the pools that Michael Phelps trained in growing up now bears his name – the PADONIA Swim Club announced last week the formerly-named Olympia Pool will now be known as the Phelps Legacy pool. PADONIA’s athletic complex is in Cockeysville, Md., about 30 minutes from Baltimore, where Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, and his sisters, Whitney and Hillary, grew up.
An Instagram post by the club shared the renaming “is in celebration of the new Phelps Legacy Fund established by Debbie Phelps at the pool is dedicated in her honor.” Debbie Phelps, Michael’s mother, announced the fund’s creation during her retirement party last week after working for Baltimore County Public Schools for over 50 years. In their post, the club quoted Debbie Phelps saying during her announcement “we have been to pools all over the world, but PADONIA is my favorite.”
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As the name suggests, it was a Phelps family affair at the new naming ceremony for the pool. Lots of family was on hand to celebrate the occasion and the family’s connection to the pool. Michael Phelps and his sisters, Whitney and Hilary, all swam in at PADONIA as children and the siblings still hold pool records. Pictures of those still active records are included in the club’s Instagram post.
In addition to the renamed pool, new signage and record boards will be added to the pool deck. The club also announced plans to construct a water slide at the Phelps Legacy pool.
