American swimmer Mark Spitz on the top step of the podium for the 100m butterfly. In all, Spitz won no fewer than seven gold medals at the Olympic Games in Munich: in the 100m butterfly, 200m butterfly, 100m freestyle, 200m freestyle, 4x100m freestyle relay, 4x100m medley and the 4x200m freestyle relay. Mark Spitz held the record for the largest number of gold medals won at a single edition of the Games for 36 years. ©Keystone

American swimmer Mark Spitz carries his towel and jacket back to Olympic Village after setting a world record in the 4x200m freestyle relay to win his fifth gold medal at the 1972 Summer Olympics, Munich, West Germany, September 1, 1972. Spitz went on to win a total of seven gold medals, a record for one Olympic Games, all in world record time. (Photo by Express Newspapers/Getty Images)

1972: Mark Spitz of the USA in action at the 1972 Olympics Games in Munich, Germany. Spitz achieved medal winning fame at these Munich Games where he won seven golds, the highest any Olympic Competitor has won for any sport at single Games. He took both freestyle sprint titles together with the butterfly stroke at these distances, with the others medals in sprints and relays. He set world records on 26 occasions in individual events and was expected to win at least six golds at Mexico in 1968, but after a few defeats his confidence was shattered and he took only siver and bronze from an exhausting programme. Twenty years on, he tried to recapture his youth by challenging for a place in the American Olympic team in Barcelona, but was unable to cope with the new high standards. Mandatory Credit: Tony Duffy/Allsport

circa 1972: American swimmer Mark Spitz training for the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, where he won a record seven gold medals, all in world record times. (Photo by A. B. Duffy/Keystone/Getty Images)

Olympic gold medal winner Mark Spitz in action during a training session.

Munich 1972-SPITZ Mark (USA), DEARDRUFF Deena Diana (USA), HALL Gary Wayne (USA)

Munich 1972-SPITZ Mark (USA), DEARDRUFF Deena Diana (USA), HALL Gary Wayne (USA)

Election of the host city for the Games of the XXVIIIth Olympiad in 2004 : Mark SPITZ, Stefan EDBERG, B. BARON

Election of the host city for the Games of 2004 : MarkSPITZ, Stefan EDBERG and Bengt BARON, STOCKHOLM.

Election of the host city for the Games of the XXVIIIth Olympiad in 2004 : Mark SPITZ,Stefan EDBERG, B. BARON