50 greatest Summer Olympians in history
By John Buhler
3. Mark Spitz, Swimming.
American swimming legend Mark Spitz may have only competed in two Summer Olympics (in 1968 and ’72), but his performance at the Munich Games remains one of the most breathtaking performances of any Olympic athlete to date.
Spitz not only won gold in all seven of the events he competed in; he set a world record in all of them. Not even Michael Phelps can say that.
In Munich, Spitz won gold in the following events: 100 m butterfly, 100 m freestyle, 200 m butterfly, 200 m freestyle, 4×100 m freestyle, 4×100 m medley, and 4×200 m freestyle.
That’s a lot of freestyling.
Four years before, Spitz earned his first four medals at the 1968 Mexico City Games, capturing gold in the 4×100 m freestyle and the 4×200 m freestyle; silver in the 100 m butterfly; and bronze in the 100 m freestyle. Spitz has since been enshrined in both the International Swimming Hall of Fame and the United States Olympic Hall of Fame.
Next: 2. Usain Bolt.