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Special Olympics Challenges Michael Phelps To Take Polar Plunge

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Olympic champion swimmer Michael Phelps has been invited to take the Polar Plunge in Chicago next year.

Special Olympics Chicago executive director Susan Nicholl said the organization sent Phelps a tweet hoping to catch his attention.

"It's the way that we invited Vince Vaughn," she said. "It's the way that we kind of recruited the Chicago Fire and Chicago PD cast and crew to come out."

Eventually, Special Olympics Chicago will send a more formal invitation through Phelps' management but for now is putting it in the hands of fans.

Nicholl said if Phelps does take the plunge, it very possibly could bring out record crowds to watch.

"We really think it would be one of our best years, if not the best," she said.

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Since Phelps has announced he's retiring from competitive swimming, Nicholl said it's the perfect opportunity for him to work toward a new goal: supporting other athletes by joining the next Chicago Polar Plunge on March 5, 2017.

"We're certain that all of Chicago would come down to North Avenue Beach," she said. "He's such an iconic figure in our world right now."

Phelps broke a 2,186-year-old Olympic record this year by winning his 13th individual gold medal, surpassing Leonidas of Rhodes, who won 12 individual running events in the ancient games in Greece. Overall, Phelps has a record 23 gold medals and 28 total medals.

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