Mark Spitz made history at the 1972 Munich Olympics when he won 7 gold medals, the most by any athlete at a single Olympics till Beijing (when Michael Phelps won 8).
Before he turned 10, Spitz held 17 US and 1 world record in age group competitions.
At 17, he set his 1st world record, in the 400m freestyle event.
Having won 2 freestyle relay golds at the 1968 Games in Mexico City, Spitz came to Munich 4 years later as one of the favourites.
He then stunned the world by winning all 7 events he entered -- the 100 and 200m freestyle, the 100 and 200m butterfly, the 4 x 100m and 4 x 400m freestyle relays and the 4 x 100m medley relay.
Spitz was determined at Munich to erase his disappointment in Mexico before which he boasted he would win 6 golds, but only won 1 individual silver (100m butterfly).
The 2 golds he won in 1968 came in team events -- the 4x100m freestyle relay and the 4x100m medley relay.
From 1968 to 1972, Spitz trained for 10,000 hours and the hard work bore results.
The day after his final victory in Munich, Spitz, a Jew, was moved to London due to security concerns following the tragic attack on Israeli athletes at the Olympic Village.
The moustache became a part of his iconic look.
He wanted to shave it off before the 1972 Games but retained it because of the attention it gained.
He claimed the 'tache made him 'more hydrodynamic'; he told a Russian coach that it increased his speed because it deflected water away.
A year later, at the World Championships, the entire Russian team showed up with moustaches!
He retired from swimming after Munich aged just 22, having won 9 Olympic golds, 1 silver, 1 bronze.
He tried to come back for the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, but failed to qualify at the US trials.
Celebrating a true legend in the pool. Wishing Mark Spitz a fantastic 75th birthday!