菲尔普斯退役后都能做些什么？

国游泳运动员迈克尔·菲尔普斯已成为史上赢得奥运会奖牌最多的运动员。他在2016年夏季奥运会上夺得六枚金牌，奖牌总数增至28枚（其中包括23金牌，同样创下纪录）。

31岁的菲尔普斯坚称今年是他最后一次参加奥运会，这已是他第五次出战。对菲尔普斯来说，退役意味着职业道路将迎来转变，但并不意味着此后的人生就是安逸享乐。无数前辈的实例证明，竞技体育从业者的退役往往意味着职业生涯翻开新篇章，可能会留在体育圈，也有可能转投截然不同的领域。

有些运动员改换职业道路是为了实现自我价值，也有些是为了提升收入。并不是所有奥运健儿都能在赛场外同样成功。

言归正传，迈克尔·菲尔普斯退役后可能考虑以下五个职业。

1.演讲

要在国际大赛上出类拔萃，首先就要抗压。能在压力下发挥水平在其他领域一样重要。许多奥运奖牌得主退役后转型为励志演讲者，激发人们在自己的领域争优创先。前无舵雪橇选手鲁本·冈萨雷斯退役后在全球各地发表演讲，戴尔、可口可乐、富国银行、21世纪不动产和美国财政部都是他的客户。

It’s official: Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympian of all time. The American competitive swimmer won six gold medals at the 2016 Olympics, bringing his total medal count to 28. (Twenty-three of them are gold — also a record).

The 31-year-old athlete insists that the Rio de Janeiro games, which marks his fifth Olympic competition,will also be his last. But while retirement will mean a career change for Phelps, it doesn’t mean he’ll be restricted to a life of relaxation and recreation. As previous Olympic athletes have proven, retirement from competitive sports often means the start of a new career, either within athletics or in a different industry altogether.

In some cases, the decision to launch a second career is for personal fulfillment; in others, it’s motivated byfinancial need. And not every athlete is able to transition their Olympic performance to success off the podium.

That said, here are five professions Michael Phelps may want to consider upon retirement.

Speaking up. The skills required to excel at international sports competitions — most notably the ability to perform under pressure — can translate well into other arenas. Many retired medalists naturally gravitate towards motivational speaking gigs, inspiring those in other industries to go for their own version of gold. Former luger Rubén González has delivered keynote speeches all over the world, and counts Dell,Coca-Cola, Wells Fargo, Century21 and the U.S. Treasury Department as his clients.

2010年冬季奥运会第二日，鲁本·冈萨雷斯代表阿根廷参加无舵雪橇男子单人项目比赛。

2.从政

退役的奥运选手也经常出任品牌大使，或者成为实业代言人。前奥运艺术体操选手多米尼克·道斯在医疗卫生领域走得相当顺。2010年，奥巴马任命出征1992年、1996年和2000年三界奥运会的道斯担任健身、运动与营养顾问委员会联席主席，辅助第一夫人米歇尔开展“Let’s Move!”全民健身活动。

Pursuing politics. Former Olympians often take brand ambassador positions or become spokespersons for a specific cause. But former artistic gymnast Dominique Dawes took her passion for health all the way to the Hill — in 2010, President Obama appointed Dawes, who competed in the 1992, 1996, and 2000 Olympics,as co-chair of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition, in conjunction with First Lady’s Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Initiative.

1996年美国乔治亚州亚特兰大举行的奥运会上，美国体操队员多米尼克·道斯在平衡木上。

3.执教

很多运动员退役后担任教练培养后辈，训练高等院校的选手，或者自立门户组建队伍。1976年冬奥会女子单人滑冠军多萝西·哈米尔走的就是这条路。挂靴后她选择当教练，不过和传统方式有些不同。2009年，她发起了名为I-Skate的项目，专门教有身体残障的孩子滑冰技能，不仅提高体质，激发独立精神，也提供了更多和同龄人交流的机会。

Passing the torch. Many retired athletes become coaches and teachers of their trade, grooming collegiate players or running their own sports camps. Figure skater Dorothy Hamill followed this path. After she putting down her own blades, she now helps others lace up theirs — but with a twist. In 2009, the 1976Olympic champion launched I-Skate, a program that teaches children with physical disabilities how to ice skate — not only to improve their health and independence, but also to provide them with opportunities to interact with their peers.

多萝西·哈米尔在排练单人花样滑冰。

4.演艺

退役后，很多奥运奖牌获得者都希望去好莱坞闯一闯。但代言合约到期后，大多数人的演艺事业仅限于偶尔客串电视节目的嘉宾，在电影里出镜几分钟，或是在《名人学徒》和《与星共舞》等真人秀里露个脸。不过，不少前奥运选手成功转行当上电视主持人或者体育赛事评论员。双人花样滑冰搭档约翰尼·威尔和塔拉·利宾斯基退役后解说索契冬奥会颇受欢迎，本届里约奥运会也很活跃。

Competing in Hollywood. Numerous medalists have tried to take on Tinseltown following their athletic retirement, but after the endorsement deals expire, most showbiz careers are limited to an occasional TV guest spot, a brief movie cameo or a stint on reality shows like Celebrity Apprentice and Dancing With the Stars. Many former athletes are able to find success, however, when they jump behind the microphone as television hosts and sports commentators, as retired figure skating duo Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski have done for the Winter Games in Sochi as well as the current Summer Games in Rio.

2014年索契冬奥会举行第13天，美国全国广播公司（NBC）评论员约翰尼·威尔和塔拉·利宾斯基解说花样滑冰女子单人自由滑比赛。

5.复出

菲尔普斯已经“退役”过一次。虽然他之前表示，2012年伦敦奥运会是最后一次出战，但两年后又投入备战里约奥运会。本月初，他的第二次退役似乎也在打退堂鼓。当时他告诉记者：“这次参赛是为了让第一个孩子看到我在奥运赛场上拼搏。我说‘这次’是预防我又回来。如果我真复出，你们可别打死我。所以我要说的是，这次参赛是为了让孩子见证我在赛场上的努力，有可能是我职业生涯的收官之战，我很希望能跟孩子分享这一刻。”对菲尔普斯而言，退役或许就像鱼儿离开了水。（财富中文网）

译者：Pessy

审校：夏林

Undoing retirement. Phelps himself has already “retired” once before. Though he said the 2012 Olympics in London would be his last, he got back in the game two years later to begin training for Rio. He’s already backtracking on his second attempt at retirement, telling reporters earlier this month: “To have our first-born be able to watch — I’ll say this just, in case I come back — my potential last Olympics. Just so you guys don’t beat me to death if I come back, I’m just going to say that: To have him watch the potential last races of my career is something I look forward to being able to share with him.” For Phelps, retirement might make him feel like a fish out of water.