The Champion Swimmer Michael Groß “The Albatross”!
German swimmer Gross is undoubtedly one of the greatest in the world.
Born on June 17, 1964, in Frankfurt am Main. He has won a total of 6 Olympic medals, including 3 golds at the 1980 Moscow Olympics!!
Countless are World and European titles.
At the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, Gross became the first West German to win a gold medal by setting two world records in the 200 m freestyle (1’44”47) and
the 100 m butterfly (53”.08).
Gross also took part in the West German 4×200 m freestyle relay, where although he broke the world record in his heat (1`.46.89 sec), the German team still failed to win the gold medal.
Another silver medal for Michael Gross also came in the 200 m butterfly, his specialty which he had dominated since 1982. Precisely at the 1984 Olympics, his loss in this race was completely unexpected to the Australian Jonathan Siebe.
At the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Gross won his only gold medal in the 200 m butterfly, setting an Olympic record with a time of 1’56.94 sec. He added a bronze medal in the German 4×200 m freestyle relay.
Standing 1.98 m tall, Michael Gross was best known by the nickname
“The Albatross”, because of his long, outstretched wings.
He is 5-time world champion, in two competitions in 1982 in Guayaquil and 1986 in Madrid; 5-time silver medalist: 1982, twice in Madrid in 1986, twice in Perth in 1991) and 3-time bronze medalist, twice in Guayaquil 1982, and once in Perth 1991).
Michael Gross is a 13-time European champion, absolutely the best swimmer on the continent of all time.
By Pjerin Bj
New York, March 11, 2025
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Sports Vision + Plus / Champions Hour since 2013
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