Michael Phelps ditches the model girlfriend for boys-only vacation in the Maldives

After 18 gold medals and becoming the greatest Olympian of all time, Michael Phelps has definitely earned the right to a little vacation time.
The champion swimmer was pictured this week, kicking back on a beach in the Maldives with his closest friends - but aspiring model girlfriend Megan Rossee was nowhere to be seen.
The guys-only trip saw Phelps skip out early on the London Olympics and miss the closing ceremony last night in favor lounging around on white-sand beaches and working on his tan.

 

Nice trunks! Michael Phelps enjoys a vacation with his male friends in the Maldives after his Olympic triumph

While teammate Ryan Lochte was scheduled to appear on Jay Leno this Thursday and regularly updating his Twitter, Phelps has opted not to return to the U.S. just yet.
However the Olympian hasn't shied away entirely from capitalizing on his swimming glory. He leaves the sport with a record 18 golds and 22 medals overall.

 

The 27-year-old announced at the weekend that he will work on his golf handicap under the watchful eye of Tiger Woods' former coach Hank Haney in a new series of the Golf Channel's The Haney Project.
The retired swimmer has also signed on with Louis Vuitton as part of the fashion brand's Core Values campaign.

 

One of the boys: Phelps hangs with his friends on a beach holiday to the tropical paradise of the Maldives

 

Life's a beach: Phelps escaped the post-Olympics media frenzy by flying off to the Maldives with friends

He stars alongside former Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina, 77, also an Olympic champion many times over, having won 18 medals in her impressive career.
Despite her absence in the Maldives, Phelps is reportedly smitten with Los Angeles-based Megan Rossee. 
The pair have been quietly dating for the past six months so that Phelps could concentrate on his swimming. They were first pictured together leaving a London nightclub at 4am following his Olympic success.
'Michael is like a puppy dog around Megan – he’s completely in love with her,' a source had previously told Radar.

Romance: Megan Rossee and Michael Phelps attend the Speedo Athlete Celebration at Kensington Roof Gardens in London during the Games

 

 

 

History maker: U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps poses with one of his 18 gold medals and after he received the trophy of the greatest athlete of all time at the London 2012 Games