American swimmer Mark Spitz makes sporting history, winning seven golds - and breaking seven world records - at the Olympic Games in West Germany
Mark Spitz last night crowned his Olympic feats by winning his seventh gold medal of the Games and setting a record that may never be beaten.
Spitz, aged 22, made his farewell appearance by swimming the butterfly leg of the 4 x 100 metres medley relay and helping the United States team to win in a world record time of 3min. 48.2sec.
All his seven gold medal swims have been in world record times, and he now intends to "take some time off."
Spitz said after the race that he "couldn't wait to get out of that pool." He added: "All the way down that last lap of the pool, I kept saying to myself, 'Just a few more strokes and it will be over.' Then when I reached the wall, I just went up and over it, instead of swimming to the side of the pool as the other fellows did."
Spitz, who remarked on Sunday after winning his sixth gold medal that he was not sure that he would again go through all the toll which the performance required, said that he wanted to "go into seclusion for a while."
He said: "I may postpone the completion of my education a little bit."
The seven events which brought Spitz his gold medals, all in world record times, were: 100 metres freestyle, 200 metres freestyle, 100 metres butterfly, 200 metres butterfly, 4 x 100 freestyle relay, 4 x 200 metres freestyle relay, 4 x 100 medley relay.
His haul is two more than the previous record for a single games - set by an Italian fencer, Nedo Nadi, in 1920 - and with his two golds in Mexico four years ago he has equalled the record total of nine gold medals from all Olympic Games.
Mark Spitz's record of seven gold medals in one Olympic Games stood until 2008, when American swimmer Michael Phelps won eight golds in Beijing. Phelps holds 18 Olympic golds in total, another record. Reported by guardian.co.uk 2 days ago.
Mark Spitz last night crowned his Olympic feats by winning his seventh gold medal of the Games and setting a record that may never be beaten.
Spitz, aged 22, made his farewell appearance by swimming the butterfly leg of the 4 x 100 metres medley relay and helping the United States team to win in a world record time of 3min. 48.2sec.
All his seven gold medal swims have been in world record times, and he now intends to "take some time off."
Spitz said after the race that he "couldn't wait to get out of that pool." He added: "All the way down that last lap of the pool, I kept saying to myself, 'Just a few more strokes and it will be over.' Then when I reached the wall, I just went up and over it, instead of swimming to the side of the pool as the other fellows did."
Spitz, who remarked on Sunday after winning his sixth gold medal that he was not sure that he would again go through all the toll which the performance required, said that he wanted to "go into seclusion for a while."
He said: "I may postpone the completion of my education a little bit."
The seven events which brought Spitz his gold medals, all in world record times, were: 100 metres freestyle, 200 metres freestyle, 100 metres butterfly, 200 metres butterfly, 4 x 100 freestyle relay, 4 x 200 metres freestyle relay, 4 x 100 medley relay.
His haul is two more than the previous record for a single games - set by an Italian fencer, Nedo Nadi, in 1920 - and with his two golds in Mexico four years ago he has equalled the record total of nine gold medals from all Olympic Games.
Mark Spitz's record of seven gold medals in one Olympic Games stood until 2008, when American swimmer Michael Phelps won eight golds in Beijing. Phelps holds 18 Olympic golds in total, another record. Reported by guardian.co.uk 2 days ago.