Swimming: Olympic legend's strange final ambition - weightlifting with a WWE superstar

It could happen. At least, Michael Phelps hopes it will happen one day.

Phelps has represented rapidly-growing sportswear brand Under Armour since 2010, and the American company have recently welcomed Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson to the fold.

As media from around the globe descended upon Baltimore to witness the unveiling of Phelps’ powerful new advert for the countdown to the Rio Olympics this summer, the swimming superstar admitted he is itching to finally meet the pro wrestler turned Hollywood actor in person.

“I would love to hang out with The Rock,” Phelps told Yahoo Sport UK with the sort of wide-eyed enthusiasm you’d expect from a starstruck teenager.

“He and Kevin Hart were the two people I wanted to meet the most,” Michael explained. “I met Kevin Hart and now I want to meet Dwayne, especially now he’s also with Under Armour.”

Phelps, a proud Baltimore product - went on to add that the duo’s stacked physiques and penchant for gruelling weight training in their respective roles has led to some ‘banter’ on social media between the two.

“He’s called me out a few times on Instagram,” Phelps said. “I keep chirping back at him but I don’t get any responses. I’m waiting for him to finally reply one day and we can show him how to really lift!

Phelps had, an hour earlier at UA’s inaugural Global Media Summit, demonstrated some of his weight training under the watchful eye of his longtime trainer Keenan Robinson.

And he hopes he’ll have Johnson for company at the impressive gym facilities at UA’s waterfront campus headquarters one day in the not-too-distant future.

He said: “I can’t wait for when we can post Instagrams of us lifting weights together. His Instagram posts are the best. I love his posts, they’re so funny.

“He’s a massive star and it’s awesome to have him in the Under Armour family. I can’t wait to meet him one day.”

Phelps holds the record for the most Olympic gold medals with 18, a record that may never be eclipsed. After retiring from the pool in the aftermath of London 2012, he later decided to perform at a fifth and final Games this year in Brazil.

Though he enhanced his legacy at London’s Aquatics Centre with four more golds and two more silvers, he admitted his training for the event was sub-par and said he didn’t accomplish as much as he should have in England.

He admitted to us that this played a part in his decision to come back:

“I hate to lose. I clearly didn’t prepare myself enough for the 200m butterfly, and I deserved the results that I got in London - nothing more

“I felt it was kind of a crappy way to go out, and I felt I still had more in the tank and could do better, so I didn’t want to go out like that.

“I said to myself: “hey, I’m still only 30 - what the hell? I’ve got a chance, let’s go for it.”

He continued: “I’m still having fun swimming and training, so that’s the best part. It’s not a job anymore. It’s not like they’re pulling my hair to get me to train each morning. I’m enjoying it.”

What are the chances of Phelps cancelling a second retirement, if Rio goes to plan, and making it six Olympic performances in Tokyo?

Slim to none, the swimmer admitted during a morning Q&A amidst Under Armour’s formal unveiling of their 2016 Olympic kits, including Team USA.

And he explained to us that not only is the prospect of another comeback aged 35 a tough proposition, he has a special incentive to hang up the trunks for good this year.

“I won’t be around for the first two months of my son’s life,” said Phelps, “so straight after Rio I’ll be making up for lost time.

“Looking after my baby boy is something I’m really looking forward to, being a part of every part of his life I possibly can.”

Michael Phelps was speaking during Under Armour’s Worldwide Media Summit in the company’s Baltimore headquarters. For more information on the brand that Makes All Athletes Better, please visit underarmour.co.uk.