Mark Spitz is an icon in Olympic swimming. This American competitive swimmer became an iconic figure after winning seven gold medals at the 1972 Olympics in Munich. He was the first swimmer to win the most medals in a single Olympics, making him a living legend. He held that record for 36 years. It was broken by Michael Phelps when he won 8 medals at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
Spitz was also the third swimmer to win 9 gold medals in the Olympics. During his four-year span there, from 1968 to 1972, he was able to break records for every stroke and distance. Aside from the 9 Olympic gold medals he bagged, he also won one silver and one bronze. That’s aside from the 5 Pan American golds, 31 Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) titles, and 8 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) titles he was able to secure. He was named World Swimmer of the Year by Swimming World Magazine in 1969, 1971, and 1972.
Surprising a lot of fans, Mark Spitz announced his retirement after he came back from the 1972 Mexico Olympics at the age of 22. He must have decided to retire from the competition while he was at the peak of his career.
Fans also assume Mark Spitz is gay mainly because of his decision to wear a mustache during the 1972 Olympics, which was considered unconventional at the time. That, plus his subsequent refusal to confirm or deny rumors about his sexuality, leading to speculation and assumptions. Is Mark Spitz gay? Read on for the answer.
VOTE: What is Mark Spitz’s Sexuality?
Mark Spitz as a “Sex Symbol”
Mark Spitz was considered the first Olympic sex symbol. He was like the Mark Phelps of his generation. Aside from winning 7 gold medals at the Summer Games in Munich, and being the first swimmer in the world to bag that many gold medals in a single Olympics, he was also getting attention from fans because of his undeniable sex appeal. He was winning the hearts of people from all over the world, not just because of his legendary wins, but with his iconic mustache, as well — something that he admitted he had only grown to prove his college coach wrong. He had a bet with his college coach because he said he couldn’t grow one. And back in the 70s, a mustache, as well as chest hair, were symbols of masculinity. A lot of fans find Spitz — and his iconic mustache — so sexy that he basically became a sex symbol during that time. His fans can openly ogle him while watching the Olympics.
He was so popular with his female and gay fans that you would often find a poster of him plastered on the wall of their rooms. That photo of him wearing nothing but skimpy swimming trunks and the seven gold medals hanging on his neck has been iconic worldwide.
These mustaches deflect water away from my mouth and make it less likely that I will swallow water. They allow me to swim faster and help me break a couple of world records last month.”
Mark Spitz once told a Russian coach who asked him if he would shave off that mustache
The Russian swimming team started growing their mustaches right after that incident and rumor has it that it was because of what Spitz had told one of their coaches.
But being a sex icon also started rumors about him being gay. Fans of the swimming champion started to question his sexuality.
Mark Spitz’s Personal Life
The swimming legend was married to Suzy Weiner in 1973. She was a UCLA theater student and a part-time model. She is the daughter of a business acquaintance of his father. They started dating after his retirement, a little less than a year after the Munich Olympics. They exchanged their “I do’s” in a traditional Jewish wedding held at the Beverly Hills Hotel. The ceremony was grand and was only attended by their family and closest friends.
The couple was blessed with two sons. The eldest, Mattew Spitz, was born in 1981, while the youngest, who is also a professional swimmer, Justin Spitz, was born in 1991.
Is Mark Spitz Gay?
No, Mark Spitz is not gay. He has been married to the same woman for five decades now. That fact alone was enough to answer the questions about his sexuality. The nine-time Olympic champion is definitely straight.