Mark Spitz

American professional swimmer who, at the age of two, learned to swim when his family moved to Hawaii. At 14, the family returned to California and he worked out every morning in the pool. By 17, Spitz was known as the world's best swimmer for breaking five world records in international competitions and also for winning seven Gold Medals in the 1972 Olympics.

The oldest of three kids, Spitz was programmed for aquatic success from age eight, when his dad, Arnold, a construction consultant, and mom, Lenore, entered him in a swimming program at the YMCA. He began breaking records as soon as he hit the water. His parents were so driven by his success that they moved three times in the next six years in search of ever-better coaching. Spitz's workout started before dawn and afternoon workouts lasted from 2:30 to 5:00 PM. There were no days off. By 14 Spitz had had enough and wanted to quit, but his parents convinced him to go on.

In his 14-year swimming career he participated in two Olympic Games and set 35 world records. Before the 1968 Games in Mexico City he was sure he would set the swimming world on fire, but found he was not liked by his teammates while at training camp beforehand. At 18 Spitz was, by his own admission, immature and when he predicted he would win six gold medals in Mexico City, some teammates were not amused. Spitz also worried about his health so much that teammates called him a hypochondriac and made fun of him. Often putting his foot in his mouth, he'd say too much and tended to see things from only his own viewpoint. Spitz began his Mexico City Olympics by finishing third in the 100-meter freestyle, an event he only recently had begun to swim seriously. He then lost the 100-meter butterfly by five-tenths of a second loosing his place on the 400 meter medley relay team and a chance at a gold medal. He was psychologically destroyed for the rest of the time he was there, almost costing the team a gold medal in the 800-meter freestyle relay.