Top 10 Swimmers of all time - Part I
Swimming is one of the very few sports that is able to spark a lot of enthusiasm amongst its followers. It is true that even the best swimmers of the world do not earn millions of dollars like any footballer or cricketer would, but it is still the most celebrated
sport, especially when it comes down to the Olympics. Below is a list of the top 10 swimmers of all time who have shown a lot of dedication to the sport and have won a couple of national and international championships.
Mark Spitz
Spitz is undoubtedly the best swimmer of the world. He won 11 Olympic gold medals and thus became the fourth man to win the most medals in the history of the Olympic Games and the first in men’s swimming history. The great Olympic champion started swimming
at the age of nine and used to practise at Arden Hills Swim Club that was situated in California, America. One year later, when Spitz was only ten, he came to the lime light with 17 national titles in his age group along with one world record.
By the time he entered the Olympic Games of 1968, Spitz was the holder of ten world records. Experts had expected him to win 6 gold medals in the Olympics. However, he could not come up to his own expectations as he only managed to win 2 gold medals along
with one silver and one bronze medal. The great swimmer made history once again by setting seven world records in the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. Spitz’s Olympic record is still unmatched by any swimmer. He surprised swimming experts and his fans when he retired
at a young age of 22. Due to his services to the sport, Mark Spitz has been inducted as a member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
Matthew Nicholas Biondi
He is another legendary swimmer who went ahead and won 11 medals of which 8 were gold. The athlete participated in 3 Olympic Games altogether and proved his potential and calibre in all these Games, especially at the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics. It was over
here that Matthew won 7 medals in total out of which 5 were gold. Matthew earned the title of the Male Swimmer of the Year on two occasions which was awarded by the Swimming World Magazine.
Johnny Weissmuller
Another name in the list of the most talented swimmers of the world is Johnny Weissmuller. The successful swimmer also played the role of Tarzan, in the famous Hollywood movie called Tarzan. As for the Olympic Games that he participated in, he managed to
win 6 medals, out of which 5 were gold. Johnny was also part of the US water polo team and won the bronze medal in the sport in the 1924 Paris Olympic Games. His versatility in athletics and artistic skills are rare to find. After retiring from the sport,
he became the founding chairman of the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
Ian James Thorpe
Ian is one of the most celebrated swimmers in the history of swimming. He participated in two Olympic Games and has won nine Olympic medals including five gold medals. Ian is already considered to be a legend in middle distance swimming. He holds the world
record in the 200 metre and 400 metre freestyle events. Other international sports events that Ian has been a part of include the World Championships, Pan Pacific Championships and the Commonwealth Games. He’s been nominated as the World Swimmer of the Year
on four occasions on the basis of his great performances and contribution to the sport of swimming.
Michael Fred Phelps II
America has not seen a more enthusiastic and passionate swimmer than Michael Phelps. His swimming skills are unmatched by any other swimmer in America and is one of the most humble athletes that the history of this sport has ever seen. He made his first
major appearance in the 2000 Olympic Games when he was only 25 years old. He also took part in the Olympic Games of 2004 and 2008. Phelps is the winner of 8 gold medals out of which 6 are gold medals. After dominating world swimming competitions like the World
Championships and the Pan Pacific Championships, Michael Phelps holds four world records.
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