As a middle school student in Baltimore, Michael Phelps was tormented by bullies who mocked him for his hyperactive personality and big ears.
The future Olympic legend wore hats much of the time to conceal the size of his ears, Phelps' mother told Yahoo Sports.
Phelps even got suspended from school for fighting one of his bullies. After that, he learned to keep his composure and challenge his frustration into success in the swimming pool.
"I kind of laugh at it now," Phelps told Yahoo. "I think it made me stronger going through that."
Now that Phelps has become one of the most successful athletes of all time, he said he frequently has to brush off people from his past.
"They'll try to talk to me and I'm thinking, 'Yeah, why are talking to me now? You were picking on me then,'" Phelps said.