GetListy » Mark Spitz

Most Gold Medals in One Olympics

Bill Sullivan — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 19:58:18 +0000

When Michael Phelps was done rewriting the Olympic record books, he had a comfortable lead (14-9) over Finland’s Paavo Nurmi in terms of all-time gold medals won.

His edge for a single Olympics, however, was not secured until his final relay, which yielded his eighth gold of the 2008 Beijing Games.

Who else is in the discussion? Here’s the list of most gold medals won in a single Games:

8. Michael Phelps, USA, aquatics (2008)

7. Mark Spitz, USA, aquatics (1972)

6. Kristin Otto, East Germany, aquatics (1988)

6. Vitaly Scherbo, Unified Team, gymastics (1992)

Source: Olympic.org

Mark Spitz Olympic Medals

Austin Sullivan — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 17:06:25 +0000

Heading into the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Mark Spitz was the all-time record holder for most Olympic medals in U.S.A. men’s swimming with 11. In 1968 at the Olympics in Mexico City, Spitz looked like a contender in many different events, but fell short of the gold in all but two (4×100 m freestyle relay, and 4×200 m freestyle relay). That year he also came with a silver (100 m butterfly), and a bronze (100 m freestyle).

In 1972, Spitz once again looked like the one to beat in Munich, and this time he delivered, winning seven gold medals, and setting new world record times with each one. These seven gold medals are the most ever captured by an individual in one Olympics.

Here are all of Spitz’s medals from the 1968 and 1972 Olympics:

1968 — 4×100 m freestyle relay Gold
1968 — 4×200 m freestyle relay Gold
1968 — 100 m butterfly Silver
1968 — 100 m freestyle Bronze
1972 — 100 m butterfly Gold
1972 — 100 m freestyle Gold
1972 — 200 m butterfly Gold
1972 — 200 m freestyle Gold
1972 — 4×100 m freestyle relay Gold
1972 — 4×100 m medley relay Gold
1972 — 4×200 m freestyle relay Gold

Source: USA Swimming

Most Individual Olympic Gold Medals

Austin Sullivan — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:09:20 +0000

In many sports, Olympic gold is the ultimate goal. Winning the gold symbolizes being the very best in the world, making it the most coveted thing in the athletic universe. Many people have won Olympic gold over the years, but almost no one has captured it very often.

There are many opportunities to win gold in the Summer Olympic Games, but it takes a wide spectrum of talents to take home very many of them. Here are those select few who have succeeded the most:

Men:

14 – PHELPS, Michael (USA), aquatics, 2004-2008
9 – LEWIS, Carl (USA), athletics, 1984-1996
9 – NURMI, Paavo (FIN), athletics, 1920-1928
9 – SPITZ, Mark (USA), aquatics, 1968-1972
8 – BIONDI, Matthew (USA), aquatics, 1984-1992
8 – EWRY, Ray (USA), athletics, 1900-1908
8 – KATO, Sawao (JPN), gymnastics, 1968-1976

Women:

9 – LATYNINA, Larisa (URS), gymnastics, 1956-1964
8 – THOMPSON, Jenny (USA), aquatics, 1992-2004
8 - FISCHER-SCHMIDT, Birgit (GDR-GER), canoe / kayak, 1980-2004
7 – CASLAVSKA, Vera (TCH), gymnastics, 1960-1968
6 - OTTO, Kristin (GDR), aquatics, 1988

Source: olympic.org