How many gold medals did Mark Spitz win in the Munich 1972 Olympics?

Mark Andrew Spitz was born on the 10th of February, 1950. Having started swimming competitively in college, he became one of the most successful sportsmen of the 20th century. He is a nine-time Olympic champion and former world record-holder in seven individual and team events. For his brilliant performance at the 1972 Summer Olympics he received 7 golf medals, which became a long-lasting record which would be beaten only in 2008 by Michael Phelps at 8 gold medals. Anyway, Mark set world records in all seven events in which he competed in 1972, and this achievement that still stands nowadays. Since 1900, no other competition swimmer has gained so great a percentage of all the medals awarded for Olympic events held in a single Games.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

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32 Comments

Sarah Hearn-vonFoerster

Wonderful performances, and he made it look so effortless.

jkraus

He actually started competing in high school. We attended the same school.

Joyce Bruns

Mark Johnson, you need to "proff" read your own sentences before you tell someone else how to write theirs. I believe the proper way to write the word is "proofread."

jason karnes

Mark Johnson, Proof, not Proff. Lol

Pamela Ashton

I remember the poster of him wearing his Olympic swim suit and his 7bmedals. I would have loved to have one in my room, but it was always sold out!

✨KRISTA✨

Now, in more recent years, we have the swimming "machine" Micheal Phelps!🏊

Howard Groopman

Remember it well. There was a photo of him wearing all 7.

earlepg

I was fortunate in seeing all 7 wins. The feat was beyond impressive since all of the races were not "just" wins, they were world records.

Kim

I still remember watching Mark Spitz competing and winning his seven gold medals! Wonderful swimmer🏊🏻‍♂️

fdeisner

Unfortunately the 1972 Munich Olympics were marred by the following: On Sept. 5, 1972, members of the Israeli Olympic team were taken hostage at the poorly secured athletes’ village by Palestinian gunmen from the Black September group. Within 24 hours, 11 Israelis, five Palestinians and a German policeman were dead after a standoff and subsequent rescue effort erupted into gunfire. The IOC at the time decided not to stop or interrupt the Games.