Mark Spitz
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
 |
||
| Men's Swimming | ||
| Gold | 1968 | 4x100m freestyle relay |
| Gold | 1968 | 4x200m freestyle relay |
| Gold | 1972 | 100m butterfly |
| Gold | 1972 | 100m freestyle |
| Gold | 1972 | 200m butterfly |
| Gold | 1972 | 200m freestyle |
| Gold | 1972 | 4x100m freestyle relay |
| Gold | 1972 | 4x100m medley relay |
| Gold | 1972 | 4x200m freestyle relay |
| Silver | 1968 | 100m butterfly |
| Bronze | 1968 | 100m freestyle |
Mark Andrew Spitz (born February 10, 1950) is a Jewish American swimmer. He was born in California, to Arnold and Lenore Spitz. He holds the record for most gold medals won in a single Olympics (seven), which he set at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany (his 7th was won on September 4).
In 1968, Mark Spitz participated in his first Olympic Games in Mexico City. Together with his teammates, Spitz won two titles: the 4 x 100 m freestyle and the 4 x 200 m freestyle relays. In addition, Spitz finished second in the 100 m butterfly and third in the 100 m freestyle. In spite of the successes, Spitz was disappointed, as he had announced a bid for six gold medals, after he had accomplished that feat at the 1967 Pan American Games.
Four years later, in Munich, Spitz came back. In West Germany, he won seven Olympic gold medals, a feat yet unequalled by any other Olympic athlete. Even more remarkably, Spitz set a new world record in each of the seven events (the 100 m freestyle, 200 m freestyle, 100 m butterfly, 200 m butterfly, 4 x 100 m freestyle, 4 x 200 m freestyle and the 4 x 100 m medley).
Spitz's accomplishments at Munich were marred by the Palestinian terrorism attack that claimed the lives of 11 Israeli athletes, known as the Munich Massacre. (Spitz had previously spent time in Israel competing in the Maccabiah Games.) In the immediate aftermath, security personnel wisked Spitz away from Munich.
Still only aged 22, Spitz retired from swimming after the Munich Games. However, at age 41, Spitz attempted to make a comeback in an attempt to qualify for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, after film maker Bud Greenspan had offered to pay him a million dollars if he succeeded in qualifying. Filmed by Greenspan's cameras, Spitz failed to beat the qualifying limit.
Personal bests:
100 m freestyle: 51,22 s (1972, WR)
200 m freestyle: 1:52,78 s ( 1972, WR)
100 m butterfly: 54,27 s ( 1972, WR)
200 m butterfly: 2:00,70 s (1972, WR)
relays:
4 × 100 m freestyle: 3:26,42 s (1972, WR)
4 × 200 m freestyle: 7:35,78 s (1972, WR)
4 × 100 m medley: 3:48,16 s (1972,WR)
Spitz attended Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana.
