ATLANTA- With all eight Olympic medals safely put away and a slight hint of a goatee, Michael Phelps is taking on his next challenge – promoting the sport of swimming.

Phelps and two teammates from the Athens Games, Lenny Krayzelburg and Ian Crocker, stopped by Atlanta on Friday to demonstrate their skills at a downtown elementary school.

Sure, they’re getting paid for the monthlong tour, dubbed “Disney’s Swim with the Stars,” but the concept is in keeping with Phelps’ desire to transform swimming into more than just a once-every-four-years pastime.

“I’m so thankful to have an opportunity like this,” he said. “Hopefully, we can run with it.”

The timing is certainly right. Phelps was the biggest star in Athens, winning six golds and two bronzes to equal the record for most medals won at a single Olympics. Only 19, he has a chance to take his sport to unparalleled heights before his career is done.

On the other hand, while swimming has long been one of the most popular sports at the Olympics, it’s barely acknowledged by Americans in between the games.

“This is something I’ve wanted to do,” Phelps said. “Hopefully, we can attract more focus to the sport. It’s been a part of my life for 11 years. I’ve had so much fun. I’ve done and achieved so much because of swimming. Hopefully, we can pass that on to the kids and they can find something they like about it.”

Phelps, Crocker and Krayzelburg visited John Hope Elementary, a school of mostly minority students next door to Martin Luther King Jr.’s crypt at the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change.

At a small, indoor pool with a view of the Atlanta skyline, the swimmers gave a brief demonstration of the sport’s four strokes. Phelps handled the butterfly and breaststroke, Krayzelburg did the backstroke. Crocker finished with the freestyle.

There also was a relay race, with the three Olympians taking the anchor legs. Krayzelburg won easily after inheriting a big lead from the three kids swimming ahead of him, but Phelps showed his competitive fire by stretching out to touch the wall ahead of Crocker, popping from the water with a telling smile.

It was a good-natured replay of their Olympic duel in the 100-meter butterfly. Crocker was the world-record holder, but Phelps edged his countryman for the gold in Athens. Afterward, Phelps gave his spot in the 400 medley relay final, allowing Crocker to win a gold medal.

The gracious gesture was not lost on the youngsters in Atlanta.

“He’s the guy who let the other guy swim for him,” said 10-year-old Makalani Mack, who had just come out of the water after getting a ride on Phelps’ back.