Mark Spitz

Mark Spitz was born February 10, 1950. Mark Spitz was a competitive swimmer and set records only Micheal Phelps could surpass. Hey was a nine time Olympic champion. He won Seven gold medal at the Olympic games in Munich. Spitz set new world records in all seven events in which he competed in 1972, an achievement that still stands.

Spitz was born the first of Three chidren of Arnold and Lenore Spitz.His family is Jewish, the grandparents left Hungary after World War II.Before he was 10, Spitz held 17 national age-group records, and one world record.At 14 his family moved to Santa Clara so Spitz could train with coach George F. Haines of the Santa Clara Swim Club. From 1964 to 1968 Mark trained with Haines at SCHS and Santa Clara High School.

In 1965 At the age of 15 Mark competed in his first international competition. He won 4 gold medals and was named most outstanding athlete.

He went on to win five gold medals at the 1967 Pan American Games. By the time Spitz reached his first Olympic games he was the holder of 10 world records. Mark was counting on winning six gold medals but sadly on won two.He wss beaten by Doug Russell an American Olympic Swimmer.

Disappointed and Defeated Mark Spitz decided to attend Indiana University to train with the famous Indiana Hoosiers swimming coach. He helped Mark improve and move on to his next Olympic Games.

Mark kept his goal to get six gold medals at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich and surpassed his goal by winning seven Olympic Medals setting yet another record. That would not be broken for another 32 years.

Mark Spitz Retired from Swimming at 22 and was ranked number 33 on ESPN’s 50 Greatest athletes.