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upworthy

olympiad

​Only a small number of people in the world know what it's like to win an Olympic gold medal.

Michael Phelps knows what it's like. 21 times. Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images.

We watch them win, when it all seems so effortless. We don't see the years of practice, dedication, bruised muscles, broken limbs, progress, setbacks, and triumphs that come before.

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