Matt Biondi

Matt Biondi, born in 1965, American swimmer, who won a total of 11 medals at the 1984, 1988, and 1992 Olympic Games. Matthew Nicholas Biondi was born in Moraga, California. In 1988 he graduated from the University of California at Berkeley, where he was a member of the swimming team. He also played on the University of California water polo teams that won the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tournament championship in 1983, 1984, and 1987.

Biondi is best known for his competitive swimming accomplishments. He earned his first Olympic gold medal at the 1984 games in Los Angeles, when he swam the third leg of the 4 x 100-meter freestyle relay for the victorious United States relay team. At the 1985 U.S. outdoor national championships in Mission Viejo, California, Biondi broke the world record in the 100-meter freestyle race, becoming the first swimmer to finish that distance in less than 49 seconds. In 1986 he won six gold medals and one silver medal at the world championships in Madrid, Spain. At the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, Biondi became only the second swimmer (after American Mark Spitz at the 1972 games in Munich, West Germany) to earn seven medals in one Olympiad. He won five gold medals, including victories in the 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle races, in addition to one silver medal and one bronze medal.

After the 1988 Olympics, Biondi achieved most of his swimming success in relay events. He anchored (swam the last leg for) the winning 4 x 100-meter freestyle relay and 4 x 100-meter medley relay teams at the 1991 world championships in Perth, Australia. He also won a gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle race at the same competition. At the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, Biondi earned three more Olympic medals, with golds in the 4 x 100-meter freestyle and 4 x 100-meter medley relays, and a silver in the 50-meter freestyle race.