HEADLINES

Spitz Erases Memory of Mexico City Flop

Mark Spitz won only two gold medals in the 1968 Summer Olympics, both in relays. Projected to win as many as six, his performance there was considered a disappointment. But Spitz, from Carmichael, signaled that Munich would be different on the first day of swimming competition, setting a world record in the 200-meter butterfly and anchoring in the 400-freestyle relay.

U.S. Swimmers, King Collect Three Golds

Besides the two golds won by U.S. swimmers, Micki King, a 28-year-old Air Force captain from Hermosa Beach, rallied from behind to win in women’s three-meter springboard diving. She had finished fourth in Mexico City after breaking her arm on the next-to-last dive. The Soviet Union, led by Lyudmila Tourischeva and upstart Olga Korbut, won the women’s gymnastics team gold medal.

*--* MEDALS Country G S B United States 3 2 3 East Germany 2 2 3 Hungary 1 1 2

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QUOTE

“You think I created a monster? He’s beautiful. He’s exceptional. There is nothing wrong with parents giving to their children. If people don’t like it, the hell with ‘em.”

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--Arnold Spitz, Mark’s father, on criticism of his active role in shaping his son’s swimming career