Mark Spitz.

Mark Spitz. Mark Spitz, born in 1950, American swimmer, winner of seven gold medals at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, West Germany. Born Mark Andrew Spitz in Modesto, California, he began swimming competitively after his family moved to Sacramento when he was eight years old. He excelled as a member of the Santa Clara Swim Club as a teenager, and in 1967 he set world records in the 400-meter freestyle event and the 100-meter and 200-meter butterfly events. Although he qualified for three individual events and three relays at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, he did not perform up to his potential, finishing second in the 100-meter butterfly race and third in the 100-meter freestyle race. He did, however, win gold medals as a member of the winning 4 x 100-meter and 4 x 200-meter freestyle relay teams. After the 1968 Olympics, Spitz entered Indiana University, where he won numerous National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and United States national championships. In 1971 he received the James E. Sullivan Memorial Award, given annually by the Amateur Athletic Union of the United States (AAU) to the outstanding amateur athlete in the country. In 1972 Spitz set a world record in the 200-meter butterfly event in the Olympic trials. At the 1972 games he won gold medals in the 100-meter and 200-meter freestyle races and the 100-meter and 200-meter butterfly races, setting a world record in each race. He was also a member of the winning 4x100-meter freestyle, 4x200-meter freestyle, and 4x100-meter medley relay teams, each of which set a world record. He temporarily retired from swimming after the Olympics, then made an unsuccessful attempt to qualify for the 1992 Olympics. He was inducted into the United States Olympic Hall of Fame in 1983, as a member of the first class of inductees. Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.