World record progression 100 metres backstroke
Men -- Long course
Table:
Time

Swimmer

Date

Place

1:02.2

David Theile

December 6, 1956

Melbourne, Australia

1:01.5

John Monckton

February 15, 1958

Melbourne, Australia

1:01.3

Bob Bennett

August 19, 1961

Los Angeles, USA

1:01.0

Tom Stock

August 11, 1962

Cuyahoga Falls, USA

1:00.9

Tom Stock

August 12, 1962

Cuyahoga Falls, USA

1:00.8

Ernst-Joachim Küppers

August 28, 1964

Dortmund, West Germany

1:00.0

Thompson Mann

September 3, 1964

New York City, USA

59.6

Thompson Mann

October 16, 1964

Tokyo, Japan

59.5

Doug Russell

August 28, 1967

Tokyo, Japan

59.3

Charlie Hickcox

August 28, 1967

Tokyo, Japan

59.1

Charlie Hickcox

August 31, 1967

Tokyo, Japan

58.4

Roland Matthes

September 21, 1967

Leipzig, East Germany

58.0

Roland Matthes

October 26, 1968

Mexico City, Mexico

57.8

Roland Matthes

August 23, 1969

Würzburg, West Germany

56.9

Roland Matthes

September 8, 1970

Barcelona, Spain

56.7

Roland Matthes

September 4, 1971

Leipzig, East Germany

56.3

Roland Matthes

April 8, 1972

Moscow, USSR

56.30

Roland Matthes

September 4, 1972

Munich, West Germany

56.19

John Naber

July 18, 1976

Montreal, Canada

55.49

John Naber

July 19, 1976

Montreal, Canada

Taking into account the accompanying table as well as the context paragraphs provided at the end.

Solve the question: How many medals of the Olympic Games were earned by the person who swam 100 m in 58.0 using the backstroke in Mexico City ? Respond with the correct answer (omit explanations) in JSON format as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}.

David Egmont Theile , AO ( born 17 January 1938 ) is an Australian former backstroke swimmer of the 1950s and 1960s , who won consecutive gold medals in the 100-metre backstroke at the 1956 and 1960 Summer Olympics , the only Australian to do so . He subsequently became a leading surgeon and medical administrator .
Melbourne ( /ˈmɛlbən/ ( listen ) MEL-bərn ) [ note 1 ] is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria , and the second most populous city in Australia and Oceania . Its name refers to an urban agglomeration of 9,993 km2 ( 3,858 sq mi ) , comprising a metropolitan area with 31 municipalities , and is also the common name for its city centre . The city occupies much of the coastline of Port Phillip bay and spreads into the hinterlands towards the Dandenong and Macedon ranges , Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Valley . It has a population of 5 million ( 19% of the population of Australia ) , and its inhabitants are referred to as Melburnians . [ note 2 ] The city was founded on 30 August 1835 , in the then-British colony of New South Wales , by free settlers from the colony of Van Diemens Land ( modern-day Tasmania ) . It was incorporated as a Crown settlement in 1837 , and named Melbourne by Governor General Richard Bourke on 10 April 1837 in honour of the British Prime Minister , William Lamb , 2nd Viscount Melbourne . In 1851 , four years after Queen Victoria declared it a city , Melbourne became the capital of the new colony of Victoria . In the wake of the 1850s Victorian gold rush , the city entered a lengthy boom period that , by the late 1880s , had transformed it into one of the world 's largest and wealthiest metropolises . After the federation of Australia in 1901 , it served as interim seat of government of the new nation until Canberra became the permanent capital in 1927 . Today , it is a leading financial centre in the Asia-Pacific region and ranks 15th in the Global Financial Centres Index . Melbourne is home to many of Australia 's best-known landmarks , such as the Melbourne Cricket Ground , the National Gallery of Victoria and the World Heritage-listed Royal Exhibition Building . It is also the birthplace of Australian impressionism , Australian rules football , and the Australian film and television industries .
John James Monckton ( 28 October 1938 - 29 June 2017 ) was an Australian backstroke swimmer who won a silver medal in the 100-metre event at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne . Although he set multiple world records , he never won an Olympic gold medal . An apprentice carpenter from the New England region of New South Wales , Monckton appeared to be primed to win gold at the 1956 Olympics . At the national team camp in Townsville before the games , he became the first person to swim 400-metre backstroke in under five minutes . Although it was not a regularly contested event at international level , it was a promising sign for the event to be included for medal competition in the Olympics . He also set world records in the 110- and 220-yard freestyle events . At the Olympics , Monckton was the fastest qualifier in the heats and semifinal , but was upstaged in the final by teammate David Theile . In the absence of Theile , who had retired after the Olympics to study medicine at university , Monckton dominated backstroke swimming , winning the 110-yard backstroke event at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Cardiff and also the 4×110-yard medley relay . Monckton then prepared for another Olympics in 1960 in Rome , with Theile deferring his studies to defend his Olympic title . Monckton again led the qualifying in the heats and semifinals . However , in the final , he misjudged the turn and broke a finger . He limped home in seventh position , with Theile successfully defending his title .
Robert Earl Bennett ( born May 23 , 1943 ) is an American former competition swimmer , Olympic medalist , and former world record-holder . Bennett attended the University of Southern California ( USC ) , where he competed for the USC Trojans swimming and diving team from 1963 to 1965 . He received All-American honors for three consecutive years , and graduated in 1965 . Bennett represented the United States at the 1960 and 1964 Summer Olympics . At the 1960 Rome games , he received a bronze medal for his third-place result in the men 's 100-meter backstroke , finishing in 1:02.3 - a fraction of a second behind Australian David Theile ( 1:01.9 ) and fellow American Frank McKinney ( 1:02.1 ) . He also swam for the gold medal-winning U.S. team in the heats of the 4×100-meter medley relay , setting a new world record of 4:08.2 in the process . He did not receive a medal , however , because he did not swim in the event final , and was not medal-eligible under the 1964 Olympic swimming rules . Four years later at the 1964 Tokyo games , he won a second bronze medal in the men 's 200-meter backstroke ( 2:13.1 ) . He again swam for the first-place U.S. team in the preliminary heats of the 4×100-meter medley relay , but was again ineligible to receive a medal . Bennett set a new world record of 1.01.3 in the 100-meter backstroke on August 19 , 1961 ; the record survived for twelve months until broken by American Tom Stock .
Los Angeles ( /lɔːs ˈændʒələs/ ( listen ) ; [ a ] Spanish : Los Ángeles ; Spanish for The Angels ) , officially the City of Los Angeles and often known by its initials L.A. , is the most populous city in California ; the second most populous city in the United States , after New York City ; and the third most populous city in North America , after Mexico City and New York City . With an estimated population of nearly four million people , Los Angeles is the cultural , financial , and commercial center of Southern California . The city is known for its Mediterranean climate , ethnic diversity , Hollywood , the entertainment industry , and its sprawling metropolis . Los Angeles lies in a basin in Southern California , adjacent to the Pacific Ocean , with mountains as high as 10,000 feet ( 3,000 m ) , and deserts . The city , which covers about 469 square miles ( 1,210 km2 ) , is the seat of Los Angeles County , the most populous county in the United States . The Los Angeles metropolitan area ( MSA ) is the second-largest metropolitan area in the nation with a population of 13.1 million people . Greater Los Angeles , which includes the metro area of Riverside and San Bernardino , is the nation 's second most populous combined statistical area , with a 2015 estimate of 18.7 million people . Historically home to the Chumash and Tongva , Los Angeles was claimed by Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo for Spain in 1542 . The city was officially founded on September 4 , 1781 , by Spanish governor Felipe de Neve . It became a part of Mexico in 1821 following the Mexican War of Independence . In 1848 , at the end of the Mexican-American War , Los Angeles and the rest of California were purchased as part of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo , and thus became part of the United States . Los Angeles was incorporated as a municipality on April 4 , 1850 , five months before California achieved statehood .
Tom Stock ( born c. 1942 ) is retired American backstroke swimmer . During his career that spanned from about 1956 to 1964 he set several world and 14 national records . He missed the 1964 Olympics due to illness and was not selected for the 1960 Games because he finished third at the trials , whereas only two swimmers were chosen in that year . He was American Swimmer of the Year in 1962 . In 1989 he was inducted to the International Swimming Hall of Fame . Stock lives in Hinsdale , Illinois , with his wife , Ann , and two children . Together with a fellow swimmer Gary Verhoeven he owns the BVD Steel Hauling Company .
Cuyahoga Falls ( /ˌkaɪəˈhoʊɡə/ KY-ə-HOH-gə ) is a city in Summit County , Ohio , United States . As of the 2010 census , the city population was 49,652 . It is the second-largest city in Summit County and part of the Akron , OH Metropolitan Statistical Area . The city was founded in 1812 by William Wetmore and was originally named Manchester , but renamed for the Cuyahoga River and the series of waterfalls that run along the southern boundary of the city . Cuyahoga Falls is bordered by Akron to the south and the Cuyahoga Valley National Park to the northwest .
Ernst-Joachim Küppers ( born 24 August 1942 ) is a German former swimmer . He competed in two events at the 1964 Summer Olympics . He won the silver medal in men 's 4×100 metre medley relay .
Dortmund ( /ˈdɔːrtmənd/ , also UK : /-mʊnd/ , US : /-mʊnt/ , German : [ ˈdɔʁtmʊnt ] ( listen ) ; Westphalian Low German : Düörpm [ ˈdyːœɐ̯pm̩ ] ; Latin : Tremonia ) is , with a population of 586,600 ( 2017 ) , the third-largest city of Germany 's most populous federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia after Cologne and Düsseldorf , and Germany 's eighth-largest city . It is the largest city ( by area and population ) of the Ruhr , Germany 's largest urban area with some 5.1 million ( 2011 ) inhabitants , as well as the largest city of Westphalia . On the Emscher and Ruhr rivers ( tributaries of the Rhine ) , it lies in the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Region and is considered the administrative , commercial , and cultural centre of the eastern Ruhr . Dortmund is the second largest city in the Low German dialect area after Hamburg , Dortmund was one of the host cities of the official tournaments of the 1974 and 2006 FIFA World Cup . Founded around 882 , Dortmund became an Imperial Free City . Throughout the 13th to 14th centuries , it was the chief city of the Rhine , Westphalia , the Netherlands Circle of the Hanseatic League . During the Thirty Years ' War , the city was destroyed and decreased in significance until the onset of industrialization . The city then became one of Germany 's most important coal , steel and beer centres . Dortmund consequently was one of the most heavily bombed cities in Germany during World War II . The devastating bombing raids of 12 March 1945 destroyed 98% of buildings in the inner city center . These bombing raids , with more than 1,110 aircraft , hold the record to a single target in World War II . The region has adapted since the collapse of its century-long steel and coal industries and shifted to high-technology biomedical technology , micro systems technology , and also services .
West Germany was the informal name for the Federal Republic of Germany , a country in Western Europe , in the period between its formation on 23 May 1949 and German reunification on 3 October 1990 . During this Cold War period , the western portion of Germany was part of the Western Bloc . The Federal Republic was created during the Allied occupation of Germany after World War II , established from eleven states formed in the three Allied zones of occupation held by the United States , the United Kingdom and France . Its ( provisional ) capital was the city of Bonn . The Cold War era West Germany is also retrospectively designated the Bonn Republic . At the onset of the Cold War , Europe was divided among the Western and Eastern blocs . Germany was de facto divided into two countries and two special territories , the Saarland and a divided Berlin . Initially , the Federal Republic of Germany claimed an exclusive mandate for all of Germany , considering itself to be the sole democratically reorganised continuation of the 1871-1945 German Reich . It took the line that the German Democratic Republic ( GDR ) was an illegally constituted puppet state . Though the GDR did hold regular elections , these were neither free nor fair . From the West German perspective , the GDR was therefore illegitimate . Three southwestern states of West Germany merged to form Baden-Württemberg in 1952 , and the Saarland joined the Federal Republic of Germany in 1957 .
Harold Thompson Mann ( December 1 , 1942 - April 4 , 2019 ) was an American competition swimmer , Olympic champion , and world record-holder . He competed at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo , Japan , where he received a gold medal swimming for swimming the lead-off backstroke leg for the winning U.S. team in the 4×100-meter medley relay . Mann and his relay teammates Bill Craig ( breaststroke ) , Fred Schmidt ( butterfly ) and Steve Clark set a new world record of 3:58.4 - and Mann set an individual world record in the 100-meter backstroke swimming his leg ( 59.6 seconds ) . In 1965 Mann won the national indoor and outdoor titles in both the 100 and 200 yd backstroke , setting a world 's best time and American record over 100 yd . He was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1984 , and the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 1988 .
New York City ( NYC ) , also known as the City of New York or simply New York ( NY ) , is the most populous city in the United States . With an estimated 2018 population of 8,398,748 distributed over a land area of about 302.6 square miles ( 784 km2 ) , New York is also the most densely populated major city in the United States . Located at the southern tip of the U.S. state of New York , the city is the center of the New York metropolitan area , the largest metropolitan area in the world by urban landmass and one of the world 's most populous megacities , with an estimated 19,979,477 people in its 2018 metropolitan statistical area and 22,679,948 residents in its combined statistical area . A global power city , New York City has been described as the cultural , financial , and media capital of the world , and exerts a significant impact upon commerce , entertainment , research , technology , education , politics , tourism , art , fashion , and sports . The city 's fast pace has inspired the term New York minute . Home to the headquarters of the United Nations , New York is an important center for international diplomacy . Situated on one of the world 's largest natural harbors , New York City consists of five boroughs , each of which is a separate county of the State of New York . The five boroughs - Brooklyn , Queens , Manhattan , The Bronx , and Staten Island - were consolidated into a single city in 1898 . The city and its metropolitan area constitute the premier gateway for legal immigration to the United States . As many as 800 languages are spoken in New York , making it the most linguistically diverse city in the world . New York City is home to 3.2 million residents born outside the United States , the largest foreign born population of any city in the world as of 2016 . As of 2019 [ update ] , the New York metropolitan area is estimated to produce a gross metropolitan product ( GMP ) of US $ 2.0 trillion .
Tokyo ( 東京 , Tōkyō , English : /ˈtoʊkioʊ/ , Japanese : [ toːkʲoː ] ( listen ) ) , officially Tokyo Metropolis ( 東京都 , Tōkyō-to ) , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan . The capital of Japan , it houses the Emperor of Japan and the Japanese government . Tokyo forms part of the Kantō region on the southeastern side of Japan 's main island , Honshu , and includes the Izu and Ogasawara Islands . Originally a small fishing village named Edo ( 江戸 ) , the city became a prominent political center of Japan when Shōgun Tokugawa Ieyasu made the city his headquarters in 1603 . When Emperor Meiji moved the imperial seat to the city from Kyoto in 1868 , Edo was renamed Tokyo , literally the Eastern Capital . The Tokyo Metropolis formed in 1943 from the merger of the former Tokyo Prefecture ( 東京府 , Tōkyō-fu ) and the city of Tokyo ( 東京市 , Tōkyō-shi ) . While commonly referred to as a city , Tokyo is a collective entity of multiple smaller municipalities , including 23 special wards and various bed towns in the western area . Modern Tokyo is categorized as an alpha+ city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network . As of 2019 , the population of Tokyo was estimated to be over 13.9 million , making it Japan 's most populous prefecture . The metropolitan area is the world 's most populous with over 40 million people as well as the world 's largest urban agglomeration economy . As of 2011 [ update ] , Tokyo hosted 51 of the Fortune Global 500 companies , the highest number of any city in the world at that time . The city ranked sixth on the Global Financial Centres Index of 2019 .
Douglas Albert Russell ( born February 20 , 1946 ) is an American former competitive swimmer , Olympic champion , and former world record-holder in three different events .
Charles Buchanan Hickcox ( February 6 , 1947 - June 14 , 2010 ) was an American competition swimmer , three-time Olympic champion , and former world record-holder in six events .
Roland Matthes ( 17 November 1950 - 20 December 2019 ) was a German swimmer and the most successful backstroke swimmer of all time . Between April 1967 and August 1974 he won all backstroke competitions he entered . He won four European championships and three world championships in a row , and swam 19 world and 21 European records in various backstroke , butterfly , freestyle and medley events . He was trained by Marlies Grohe . As an Olympian in 1968 , 1972 and 1976 he won a total of eight medals ( four gold , two silver and two bronze ) : In 1968 and 1972 he won gold in both the 100 m and 200 m backstroke , while in 1976 he was third in the 100 m backstroke . In addition to these individual events , he won the 4 × 100 m team medley silver in 1968 and 1972 , and a bronze medal for the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay . At Montreal , he was the only East German male swimmer to win a medal . In 1973 in Belgrade he became the first world champion holding the titles in both the 100 m and 200 m backstroke . Additionally he won silver in the 4 × 100 m medley and bronze in the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay . Two years later in 1975 he defended his world title in the 100 m backstroke . At the European championships in 1970 in Barcelona and 1974 in Vienna he won all four titles for the 100 and 200 m backstroke . Additionally , in Barcelona he won the individual silver for the 100 m freestyle , gold with the 4 × 100 m medley team , and bronze with both the 4×100 and 4 × 200 m freestyle teams .
Leipzig ( /ˈlaɪpsɪɡ/ , also US : /- ( t ) sɪk/ , German : [ ˈlaɪptsɪç ] ( listen ) ; Upper and Lower Sorbian : Lipsk ; Upper Saxon : Leibzsch ) is the most populous city in the German federal state of Saxony . With a population of 600,000 inhabitants as of 2019 ( 1.1 million residents in the larger urban zone ) , it is Germany 's eighth most populous city as well as the second most populous city in the area of former East Germany after ( East ) Berlin . Together with Halle ( Saale ) , the largest city of the neighbouring state of Saxony-Anhalt , the city forms the polycentric conurbation of Leipzig-Halle . Between the two cities ( in Schkeuditz ) lies Leipzig/Halle International Airport . Leipzig is located about 160 kilometres ( 99 mi ) southwest of Berlin in the Leipzig Bay , which constitutes the southernmost part of the North German Plain , at the confluence of the White Elster River ( progression : Saale→ Elbe→ North Sea ) and two of its tributaries : the Pleiße and the Parthe . The name of the city as well as the names of many of its boroughs are of Slavic origin . Leipzig has been a trade city since at least the time of the Holy Roman Empire . The city sits at the intersection of the Via Regia and the Via Imperii , two important medieval trade routes . Leipzig was once one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing . After the Second World War and during the period of the German Democratic Republic ( East Germany ) Leipzig remained a major urban centre in East German terms , but its cultural and economic importance declined . Events in Leipzig in 1989 played a significant role in precipitating the fall of communism in Central and Eastern Europe , mainly through demonstrations starting from St. Nicholas Church . The immediate effects of the reunification of Germany included the collapse of the local economy , which had come to depend on highly polluting heavy industry , severe unemployment , and urban blight .
East Germany , officially the German Democratic Republic ( GDR ; German : Deutsche Demokratische Republik [ ˈdɔʏtʃə demoˈkʁaːtɪʃə ʁepuˈbliːk ] , DDR ) , was a state that existed from 1949 to 1990 , the period when the eastern portion of Germany was part of the Eastern Bloc during the Cold War . Commonly described as a communist state in English usage , it described itself as a socialist workers ' and peasants ' state . It consisted of territory that was administered and occupied by Soviet forces following the end of World War II - the Soviet occupation zone of the Potsdam Agreement , bounded on the east by the Oder-Neisse line . The Soviet zone surrounded West Berlin but did not include it ; as a result , West Berlin remained outside the jurisdiction of the GDR . The German Democratic Republic was established in the Soviet zone , while the Federal Republic was established in the three western zones . East Germany was a satellite state of the Soviet Union . Soviet occupation authorities began transferring administrative responsibility to German communist leaders in 1948 , and the GDR began to function as a state on 7 October 1949 . However , Soviet forces remained in the country throughout the Cold War . Until 1989 , the GDR was governed by the Socialist Unity Party ( SED ) , though other parties nominally participated in its alliance organisation , the National Front . The SED made the teaching of Marxism-Leninism and the Russian language compulsory in schools . The economy was centrally planned and increasingly state-owned . Prices of housing , basic goods and services were set by central government planners rather than rising and falling through supply and demand ; and were heavily subsidised .
At the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City , 29 events in swimming were contested . There was a total of 468 participants from 51 countries competing . The United States dominated the competition , winning 52 of 87 possible medals . 15-year-old phenom Debbie Meyer from Maryland won three gold medals .
Würzburg ( UK : /ˈvɜːrtsbɜːrɡ , ˈvʊərts-/ , US : /ˈwɜːrts- , ˈwʊərts-/ , [ a ] German : [ ˈvʏʁtsbʊʁk ] ( listen ) ; Main-Franconian : Wörtzburch ) is a city in the region of Franconia , northern Bavaria , Germany . Located on the Main River , it is the capital of the Regierungsbezirk of Lower Franconia . The regional dialect is East Franconian . Würzburg lies about equidistant from Frankfurt am Main and Nuremberg ( each about 120 kilometers or 75 miles away ) . Although the city of Würzburg is not part of the Landkreis Würzburg , ( i.e. , district of Würzburg ) , it is the seat of the district 's administration . The city has a population of around 130,000 people .
Barcelona ( /ˌbɑːrsəˈloʊnə/ BAR-sə-LOH-nə , Catalan : [ bəɾsəˈlonə ] , Spanish : [ baɾθeˈlona ] ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain . It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia , as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain . With a population of 1.6 million within city limits , its urban area extends to numerous neighbouring municipalities within the Province of Barcelona and is home to around 4.8 million people , making it the sixth most populous urban area in the European Union after Paris , the Ruhr area , Madrid , and Milan . It is one of the largest metropolises on the Mediterranean Sea , located on the coast between the mouths of the rivers Llobregat and Besòs , and bounded to the west by the Serra de Collserola mountain range , the tallest peak of which is 512 metres ( 1,680 feet ) high . Founded as a Roman city , in the Middle Ages Barcelona became the capital of the County of Barcelona . After merging with the Kingdom of Aragon , Barcelona continued to be an important city in the Crown of Aragon as an economic and administrative centre of this Crown and the capital of the Principality of Catalonia . Barcelona has a rich cultural heritage and is today an important cultural centre and a major tourist destination . Particularly renowned are the architectural works of Antoni Gaudí and Lluís Domènech i Montaner , which have been designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites . The headquarters of the Union for the Mediterranean are located in Barcelona . The city is known for hosting the 1992 Summer Olympics as well as world-class conferences and expositions and also many international sport tournaments . Barcelona is one of the world 's leading tourist , economic , trade fair and cultural centres , and its influence in commerce , education , entertainment , sports , media , fashion , science , and the arts all contribute to its status as one of the major global cities . It is a major cultural and economic centre in southwestern Europe , 24th in the world ( before Zürich , after Frankfurt ) and a financial centre .
Moscow ( /ˈmɒskoʊ/ , in US mainly : /ˈmɒskaʊ/ ; Russian : Москва , tr . Moskva , IPA : [ mɐˈskva ] ( listen ) ) is the capital and most populous city of Russia , with approximately 12.6 million residents within the city limits , 17 million within the urban area and 20 million within the metropolitan area . Moscow is one of Russia 's federal cities . Moscow is a major political , economic , cultural , and scientific centre of Russia and Eastern Europe . It is the second-most populous city in Europe , the most populous city entirely within Europe , as well as the largest city ( by area ) on the European continent . By broader definitions , Moscow is among the world 's largest cities , being the 24th largest metropolitan area , the 16th largest urban area , and the 10th largest by population within city limits worldwide . Moscow has been ranked as the ninth most expensive city in the world and has one of the world 's largest urban economies , being ranked as an alpha global city , and is also one of the fastest growing tourist destinations in the world . Moscow is home to the third-highest number of billionaires of any city in the world , and has the highest number of billionaires of any city in Europe . Moscow is the northernmost and coldest megacity on the Earth . It is home to the Ostankino Tower , the tallest free standing structure in Europe ; the Federation Tower , the second-tallest skyscraper in Europe ; and the Moscow International Business Center . Moscow is the largest city on the European continent by area . Moscow is situated on the Moskva River in the Central Federal District of European Russia , it is well known for its architecture , particularly its historic buildings such as Saint Basil 's Cathedral in Russian architectural style with a richly decorated and multicolored facade .
The Soviet Union , [ b ] officially known as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ( USSR or СССР ) , [ c ] was a federal sovereign state in northern Eurasia that existed from 1922 to 1991 . Nominally a union of multiple national Soviet republics , [ d ] in practice its government and economy were highly centralized . The country was a one-party state , governed by the Communist Party with Moscow as its capital in its largest republic , the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic ( Russian SFSR ) . Other major urban centers were Leningrad , Kiev , Minsk , Tashkent , Alma-Ata , and Novosibirsk . It spanned over 10,000 kilometers ( 6,200 mi ) east to west across 11 time zones , and over 7,200 kilometers ( 4,500 mi ) north to south . Its territory included much of Eastern Europe , as well as part of Northern Europe and all of Northern and Central Asia . It had five climate zones : tundra , taiga , steppes , desert and mountains . The Soviet Union had its roots in the 1917 October Revolution , when the Bolsheviks , led by Vladimir Lenin , overthrew the Russian Provisional Government which had replaced the autocratic regime of Tsar Nicholas II during World War I . In 1922 , after a civil war ending in the Bolsheviks ' victory , the USSR was formed by a treaty which united the Russian , Transcaucasian , Ukrainian and Byelorussian republics . Following Lenin 's death in 1924 and a brief power struggle , Joseph Stalin came to power in the mid-1920s . Stalin formalized the Communist Party 's ideology of Marxism-Leninism and replaced the market economy with a command economy which led to a period of rapid industrialization and collectivization . During this period , rapid economic development resulted in dramatic improvements in the average standard of living , particularly in urban areas .
The 1972 Summer Olympics were held in Munich , West Germany , 29 events in swimming were contested . There was a total of 532 participants from 52 countries competing . Perhaps the most spectacular athletic events were in swimming . Mark Spitz of the United States had a spectacular run , lining up for seven events , winning seven Olympic titles and setting seven world records . The seven world records in a single Olympic meet was tied by Michael Phelps in 2008 . According to the official Olympic website , He took part in the 4×200 m one hour after his final in the 100 m butterfly . As for the 200 m freestyle gold , it was his third medal in three days . On the women 's side of the competition , Shane Gould of Australia won 5 medals . She won the 200 m and 400 m freestyle as well as the 200 m individual medley , each with a new world record time . In addition , she won the silver and the bronze in the 800 m and 100 m freestyle , respectively . In terms of records , the Olympic record was broken at least once in all 29 events . In 20 of those events , there was a new world record set .
John Phillips Naber ( born January 20 , 1956 ) is an American former competition swimmer , five-time Olympic medalist , and former world record-holder in multiple events . Born in Evanston , Illinois , Naber studied in England and Italy where his father worked as a management consultant . He graduated from Woodside High School in northern California , and then completed his bachelor 's degree in psychology in 1977 at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles . While at USC , he led the Trojans to four consecutive NCAA titles ( 1974-1977 ) .
The 1976 Summer Olympics were held in Montreal , Quebec , Canada ; 26 events in swimming were contested . There was a total of 471 participants from 51 countries competing .