Michael Groß

West German swimmer Michael Groß won six Olympic medals, three gold, mostly in the butterfly and sprint freestyle events. He was known as “The Albatross” because of his enormous arm span of over seven feet (2.14 metres). At the World Championships he won a record 13 medals (five gold, five silver, three bronze), with individual event wins in the 200 freestyle and 200 butterfly in both 1982 and 1986. Groß also won a record 18 medals at four European Championships (13 gold, four silver, one bronze), with individual event wins in the 200 freestyle and both butterfly events in 1983 and 1985. During his career he set nine world records in individual events – four at 200 freestyle, one at 400 freestyle, one at 100 butterfly, and three at 200 butterfly. His top Olympics was 1984 when he won the 200 metre freestyle and the 100 metre butterfly, and took silver at the 200 metre butterfly and in anchoring the 4 x 200 metre freestyle relay.