Olympic Champion Mark Spitz

There will never be another Olympian athlete who created as much excitement as Mark Spitz, or as much controversy. Mark Spitz's career is filled with moments of unbelievable triumph and devastating failure. It seems that Mark is either on top of a mountain or at the bottom of the sea, with nothing much in between.

Mark Spitz started swimming at the ripe old age of nine. His dad took Mark to the Arden Hills Swim Club to train under the celebrated Sherm Chavoor. Chavoor was a lifelong mentor to Spitz. (At the age of 73, Chavoor died of cancer in 1973.)

Mark was every coach's dream athlete. By the time he was 10 years old, he already held 17 national age-group records and one world record. No doubt, visions of Olympic gold medals were dancing in the heads of his father and his coach. Mark's dad told him, "Swimming isn't everything; winning is!" Apparently Mark took that thought to heart, because he did some serious winning.

To say that Mark Spitz got a tad cocky would be an understatement. He became a little too sure of himself and, apparently believing all of his press, bragged before the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, Mexico, that he would "win six golds." He didn't.

Mark rededicated himself to training and by the time the 1972 Olympics held in Munich, Germany, rolled around, he was ready. He won a total of seven gold medals (three individual medals and four team medals). It's still a record.

Tragedy struck. The 1972 Munich Massacre happened. People died. Spitz, who is Jewish, was truly afraid for his life. He left to go to London before the closing ceremonies.

Mark Spitz today lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two sons. He engages in his favorite activities — sailing and traveling — as often as possible. Spitz describes himself as "an entrepreneur."