BOOK REPORT BY: NOAH NEITLICH Mark Spitz and Michael Phelps

Swim Events in the Olympics 50 free LCM 100 free LCM 200 free LCM 400 free LCM 800 free LCM 1500 free LCM 100 back LCM 200 back LCM 100 breaststroke LCM 200 breaststroke LCM 100 fly LCM 200 fly LCM 200 Im LCM 4oo Im LCM

About Michael Phelps When Michael Phelps was four he started swim lessons but didn’t like it at all and just would annoy his coach and run around the pool deck. His coach said, “All right, I will let you swim on your back.” So Michael learned to swim on his back. Michael still loved to mess around and not listen to his coach. When he was eleven, a new and smarter coach came named Bob took over. Bob knew everything Michael did. For instance, Michael had a secret language that Bob figured out. Regardless, Michael was always a good swimmer and after lots of practice meets he started breaking national records. He made it to the Olympics and, on his third Olympics in Beijing, he won eight gold medals and beat Mark Spitz ‘s record of seven gold medals in one Olympics. Then in the London Olympics, Michael got three more medals and became the record holder of the most medals ever in the Olympics.

About Mark Spitz Mark Spitz started swimming at nine. At his first novice meet he got a purple ribbon and asked his mom, “Why do those kids have blue, red, and white ribbons and I have a purple ribbon?” His mom said, “They were the top three in the meet.” Mark was upset and so he threw his ribbon on the ground and said, “From now on I’m only getting blue ribbons.” When he was 15 years old he went to his first Olympics and won a gold medal. Then he went to college at Stanford. He didn’t like the coach there so he moved to Indiana University, where he had friends from his swim team at Santa Clara Swim Club, and where he knew the coach. The coach was named “doc” because he invented a split clock that could get swimmers splits at every 50 yards or meters. When Mark was at his last Olympics he won seven medals, which was a new record, beating the last record of five gold medals.

Similarities Between the Two They both were the record holders of the 200 and 100 fly. They both were the record holders for winning the most gold medals in one Olympics. They both were young so they got picked on by older swimmers. They both broke a lot of records. Their best stroke is fly. They both were the best swimmers of their period.

Michael Phelps Mark Spitz Swam in 21 st century Michael grew up in Baltimore, Maryland. Michael has the most medals (23 medals). Michael golfed when he retired. No mustache Swam in 1960s and 1970s Mark grew up in Long Beach, California. Mark only has 14 medals. Mark was a motivation speaker when he retired. Mustache Differences

The Secrets to Success The secrets to success according to both swimmers are: Listen to your coach. Work as hard as you can. Make friends. Don’t miss practice. Believe in yourself.