Having won 22 total medals, 18 of which are gold, across four Olympic Games, American swimmer Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympian of all-time. Such an incredible achievement has led to Phelps being named the "Greatest Olympian of all-time" in the popular press and by the international swimming governing federation. Although this title is unofficial, it carries significant cultural importance. The author's focus is an examination of the power relations that enabled and produced him as the Greatest Olympian of all-time. Phelps's phenomenal performance in the pool is undeniable, but he argues that the ensuing adulation and recognition results as much from his privileged position as a white American man as from his hard work, skill, and determination. This dissertation unpacks and explains how these processes work in the contemporary sporting world. Scholars have long argued that sport is a site for understanding how race, class, gender, and nationalisms are performed and/or constructed. In this dissertation, the author demonstrates that, from an ideological and cultural point of view, Michael Phelps is the greatest Olympian of all time because he is the physical and symbolic embodiment of the modern Olympic Movement. First, he examines how race is constructed through the modern sport of swimming. Then, he examines how media representations of Michael Phelps create a racialized American national identity. Finally, he explores the changing meanings of eligibility in elite international sport in order to demonstrate how a professional athlete can still compete in the Olympics.