Stephen Rerych Stephen Rerych Stephen Karl "Steve" Rerych (born May 14, 1946) is an American former swimmer, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder. At the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, Rerych won two gold medals. He swam the second leg for the winning U.S. team in the men's 4×100-meter freestyle relay; with relay teammates Zac Zorn, Mark Spitz and Ken Walsh, he helped set a new world record of 3:31.7 in the event final. He received another gold medal as a member of the first-place U.S. team in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay, together with teammates John Nelson, Spitz and Don Schollander.
Japan at the Olympics Japan at the Olympics Japan first participated at the Olympic Games in 1912, and has competed at almost every Games since then. The nation was not invited to the 1948 Games after World War II, and Japan was part of the American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. Japan won its first medals in 1920, and its first gold medals in 1928. Japanese athletes have won 439 medals at the Summer Olympic Games (Except Art competitions at the 1936 Summer Olympics), with the most gold medals won in judo. Japan has also won 58 medals at the Winter