Mike Burton, three-time Olympic swimming champion, dies at 79 after battle with Alzheimer’s
Burton (left) was the first man to swim the 800 free in under 8:30 | Photo Credit: The Hindu Archives
Burton (left) was the first man to swim the 800 free in under 8:30 | Photo Credit: The Hindu Archives
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 and dementia,” the younger Burton wrote. “My dad was by far the toughest man to have ever lived. He always inspired me to greatness.”
At the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, despite being sick, Burton won the 400 free in a close race against Ralph Hutton of Canada and the 1,500 by 18 seconds over U.S. teammate John Kinsella — a margin that has never been equaled.
Four years later in Munich, Burton successfully defended his 1,500 title in a world-record time of 15 minutes, 52.58 seconds. In the spring of 1972, he had been diagnosed with a vitamin deficiency and barely made the team at the U.S. trials, where he didn’t qualify in the 400 free or 200 butterfly.
Burton’s historic repeat was overshadowed by teammate Mark Spitz winning a record seven gold medals and the deadly terrorist attack on the athletes’ village, which occurred the day after Burton’s race. He carried the U.S. flag at the closing ceremony.
Burton’s achievements in the mile race began a run of success for the U.S., with Brian Goodell winning gold at the 1976 Montreal Olympics.
American swimmer Bobby Finke duplicated Burton’s feat when he won consecutive 1,500 titles at the 2020 and 2024 Olympics, setting a world record of 14:30.67 in Paris.
Burton was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1977. He is a member of UCLA’s Hall of Fame, having won five NCAA individual titles.
Born Michael Jay Burton on July 3, 1947, in Des Moines, Iowa, he was severely injured at age 12 when hit by a truck while riding his bike. His injuries forced him to give up the contact sports of football and baseball, so he turned to swimming.
On his way to becoming one of the sport’s great distance swimmers, Burton was the first man to swim the 800 free in under 8:30 and the first to follow a training regimen of high mileage to maximize cardio endurance and stroke efficiency. Four-time Olympic champion swimmer Janet Evans used a similar program.
Burton later coached swim teams in Iowa, Washington and Montana.
Published on Sep 21, 2026
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