Mark Spitz

Mark Spitz's 7 gold medals at the 1972 Munich Olympics (all in world record time) stood as the greatest single-Games performance in history for 36 years until Michael Phelps surpassed it in 2008. Across his career Spitz won 9 Olympic gold medals total, was named World Swimmer of the Year in 1969 and 1971, and was selected by Sports Illustrated as one of the 40 Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century.