|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
  |
|
 |
| |
|
| |
Mark Spitz was born on Feb. 10, 1950,
in Modesto, Cal. He was considered the swiftest swimmer of all
time. When he was two years old, his family moved to Hawaii,
where his father Arnold taught him to swim. After four years
in Hawaii, the family returned to California and at the YMCA
Spitz received his first competitive instruction. At age nine,
his dad took him to Arden Hills Swim Club to train under the
celebrated Sherm Chavoor, who would be a life-long mentor to
Spitz. By age 10, Spitz held 17 national age group and one world
record. He was named the world's best 10-and-under swimmer.
When he was 14, his family moved to Santa Clara so Spitz could
train with George Haines of the famed Santa Clara Swim Club.
Spitz continued to excel, especially in swimming's most difficult
stroke: the butterfly. At 16, he won the 100-meter butterfly
at the National AAU Championships, the first of his 24 AAU titles.
The next year, 1967, he won five gold medals at the Pan-American
Games in Winnipeg. He was expected to win several individual
gold medals at the 1968 Olympics, having already set 10 world
records. He made his big splash during the 1972 Olympics, becoming
the first athlete to win seven gold medals in an Olympiad. His
performances were even more remarkable considering world records
were set in all seven events. Fulfilling all the pre-Olympic
hype, he won four individual events -- in the 100- and 200-meter
freestyle and 100- and 200-meter butterfly -- and three relay
races. After his Munich triumph, Spitz was bombarded with endorsement
offers. He soon came to be known more as a good-looking, mustachioed
pitchman than for his signature butterfly stroke. He made some
$7 million in two years. |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
