Shark Week kicks off on the Discovery Channel on Sunday, July 23rd with MICHAEL PHELPS racing a great white shark in a special called "Phelps vs. Shark: Great Gold vs. Great White".
And Phelps gave "Entertainment Weekly" some details on exactly how it went down. First of all, it was in OPEN WATER, so he and the shark were NOT separated. And they "raced" 100 meters.
But they weren't side-by-side, and there were 15 safety divers in the water to make sure he didn't get EATEN.
Also, there was some handicapping going on, since it's not exactly a fair contest. At best, Phelps can swim a little over 5 miles per hour. But that's just cruising speed for a great white. If it's really moving, it can reach 25 miles per hour.
One way they evened the odds was to give Phelps a "monofin" which is basically a dolphin tail attached to his feet.
As for who won, obviously, he's not going to tell you before the special airs. He said, quote, "I got in and did my best, and you guys are going to have to see what the outcome is."