Mark Spitz National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) titles. During those years, he set 35 world records, but two were in trials and unofficial. He was named World Swimmer of the Year in 1969, 1971, and 1972 by "Swimming World Magazine". He was the third athlete to win nine Olympic gold medals. Spitz was born in 1950 in Modesto, California, the first of three children of Lenore Sylvia (Smith) and Arnold Spitz. His family is Jewish; his father's family was from Hungary and his mother's, originally surnamed "Sklotkovick", were from Russia. When Spitz was two years old, his family moved to Honolulu, Hawaii,
Don Durbridge kept him in demand as a broadcast anchor and commentator for international boxing and football matches. It also took him across the globe including to Aden (now Yemen) in 1966/67, to Cologne in Germany (1968–69 and again for part of '72) and then to Gibraltar for three years. In 1972, Don was assigned as a BFBS reporter for the Munich Olympics, where he secured a worldwide scoop – an exclusive interview with the swimmer Mark Spitz, who'd won an – unprecedented at the time – seven gold medals at the Games. Don was also press officer and matchday announcer for