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Mike Burton, 3-Time Olympic Swimming Champion, Dies at 79 After Battle with Alzheimer's
His son said Burton died after a battle with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, and he was the first American to win consecutive 1,500-meter freestyle golds.
- Three-Time Olympic swimming champion Mike Burton died at 79 following a battle with Alzheimer and dementia, his son Eric Burton announced on Friday.
- Born in Des Moines in 1947, Burton moved to California at age one and turned to swimming after a truck accident at age 12 ended his contact sports participation.
- At the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, a sick Burton won the 400 and 1,500 freestyle, with his 1,500 victory by 18 seconds a margin never equaled; he later defended his 1,500 title at the 1972 Munich Games.
- His 1972 victory was overshadowed by the deadly terrorist attack at the athletes' village and teammate Mark Spitz's record seven gold medals; American swimmer Bobby Finke later duplicated Burton's consecutive 1,500-meter gold medal feat in 2020 and 2024.
- The UCLA and Iowa Sports Hall of Fame inductee coached swim teams in Iowa, Washington, and Montana, and his high-mileage training philosophy influenced four-time Olympic gold medalist Janet Evans.
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Mike Burton, 3-time Olympic swimming champion, dies at 79 after battle with Alzheimer’s
Mike Burton, a three-time Olympic swimming champion who was the first American to win gold in the 1,500-meter freestyle at consecutive games, has died according to his son. He was 79. Eric Burton announced his father’s death Friday on his Facebook account. “My dad, Mike Burton, has passed away after a grueling battle with Alzheimer’s...
Mike Burton, 3-time Olympic swimming champion, dies at 79 after battle with Alzheimer’s – WTOP News
Mike Burton, a three-time Olympic swimming champion who was the first American to win gold in the 1,500-meter freestyle at consecutive games, has died according
·Chevy Chase, United States
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Mike Burton, who won three Olympic swimming titles in the 1968 and 1972 Games, has died at the age of seventy-nine.
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Total News Sources15
Leaning Left2Leaning Right1Center11Last UpdatedBias Distribution79% Center
Bias Distribution
- 79% of the sources are Center
79% Center
14%
C 79%
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