Mark Spitz Tied Among All-Time Olympic Gold Winners in MSN’s Unbreakable Records List

Mark Spitz shares nine-Olympic-gold tie in MSN’s unbreakable records list

Mark Spitz is among six athletes tied with nine Olympic gold medals, as MSN’s list of unbreakable sports records highlights Michael Phelps’ 23-gold haul. The Hall of Famer’s total towers over every other Olympian, with Spitz standing shoulder-to-shoulder with legends like Carl Lewis and Larisa Latynina.

What the list includes

MSN’s rundown of supposedly unbreakable records spans multiple sports, from Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point NBA game to Usain Bolt’s 9.58-second 100-meter world record. Phelps’ 23 Olympic golds sit at the top, more than double the next-best total of 11 by Norway’s Johannes Klaebo in Winter Olympics cross-country skiing. The six-way tie for nine golds-shared by Spitz, Lewis, Latynina, Paavo Nurmi, Katie Ledecky and Caeleb Dressel-anchors the swimming legend’s legacy in the company of track, gymnastics and water polo icons.

Why Spitz’s nine golds matter

Spitz’s nine Olympic golds came across two Games: four in 1968 and five in 1972. His 1972 haul remains the single-Games record in swimming, with seven golds in Munich. That dominance places him in the rarefied air of athletes whose careers redefined their sports. The list’s inclusion of Spitz underscores how his achievements still set the standard decades later.

How the tally stacks up

Phelps leads with 23 golds, followed by Latynina’s 18 and Nurmi’s 12. The nine-gold group-including Spitz-sits at the third rung. No swimmer has matched Spitz’s nine since Munich 1972, while Ledecky and Dressel each sit at nine but across more editions. The gap between Phelps and the rest makes his total feel untouchable, yet Spitz’s mark remains a benchmark for swimming immortality.