Mark Spitz biography
Profile
Born in Modesto, California in 1950, Mark Spitz swam competitively in college for Indiana University before training for the Olympics. Spitz competed at both the 1968 and 1972 Olympic Games, and in 1972, he set a world record for the most gold medals received during a single Olympic Games. He won seven gold medals that year, across individual and team events. Spitz's record was broken by American swimmer Michael Phelps at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, held in Beijing; Phelps won eight gold medals in 2008 and continues to hold the record for most gold medals won in a single Olympics, as well as the record for the most Olympic medals won.