Mark Spitz

Mark Spitz
Mark Spitz in December 2012
Personal information
Full nameMark Andrew Spitz
Nickname"Mark the Shark"
National team United States
Born (1950-02-10) February 10, 1950 (age 74)
Modesto, California, U.S.
Height6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight161 lb (73 kg) 73Kg
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesButterfly, freestyle
ClubArden Hills Swim Club
Santa Clara Swim Club
College teamIndiana University
CoachDoc Counsilman
Medal record
Representing the  United States
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Olympic Games 9 1 1
Pan American Games 5 0 0
Maccabiah Games 10 0 0
Total 24 1 1
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1968 Mexico City 4×100 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 1968 Mexico City 4×200 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 1972 Munich 100 m butterfly
Gold medal – first place 1972 Munich 100 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 1972 Munich 200 m butterfly
Gold medal – first place 1972 Munich 200 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 1972 Munich 4×100 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 1972 Munich 4×100 m medley
Gold medal – first place 1972 Munich 4×200 m freestyle
Silver medal – second place 1968 Mexico City 100 m butterfly
Bronze medal – third place 1968 Mexico City 100 m freestyle
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 1967 Winnipeg 100 m butterfly
Gold medal – first place 1967 Winnipeg 200 m butterfly
Gold medal – first place 1967 Winnipeg 4×100 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 1967 Winnipeg 4×200 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 1967 Winnipeg 4×100 m medley
Maccabiah Games
Gold medal – first place 1965 Israel Swimming
Gold medal – first place 1965 Israel Swimming
Gold medal – first place 1965 Israel Swimming
Gold medal – first place 1965 Israel Swimming
Gold medal – first place 1969 Israel Swimming
Gold medal – first place 1969 Israel Swimming
Gold medal – first place 1969 Israel Swimming
Gold medal – first place 1969 Israel Swimming
Gold medal – first place 1969 Israel Swimming
Gold medal – first place 1969 Israel Swimming

Mark Andrew Spitz (born February 10, 1950) is an American former competitive swimmer and nine-time Olympic champion. He was the most successful athlete at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, winning seven gold medals, each in world-record time. This achievement set a record that lasted for 36 years, until it was surpassed by fellow American Michael Phelps, who won eight golds at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Phelps, like Spitz, set seven world records.

Between 1968 and 1972, Spitz won nine Olympic golds, a silver, and a bronze, in addition to five Pan American golds, 31 Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) titles, and eight National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) titles. During those years he set 35 world records, two of which were in trials and unofficial.[1][2] Swimming World Magazine named him World Swimmer of the Year in 1969, 1971, and 1972. He was the third athlete to win nine Olympic gold medals.

  1. ^ "International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame". Jewishsports.net. February 10, 1950. Retrieved January 30, 2011.
  2. ^ "Mark Spitz". Doc Counsilman: Making Waves. Indiana University. Archived from the original on June 2, 2010. Retrieved January 30, 2011.