Warkentin Wins Fourth Gold at World University Games
July 15, 1999 | Men's Swimming & Diving
July 7, 1999
Los Angeles - USC sophomore-to-be Mark Warkentin continued his spectacular performance at the World University Games, winning his fourth gold medal - the latest in the 400m freestyle - on Thursday in Mallorca, Spain.
Warkentin won the 400m free in a personal-best time of 3:53.41. His four golds matches Matt Biondi's total from 1985 with one event remaining, the 1500m free on Friday (July 9). A fifth gold would make Warkentin the most decorated male athlete in the history of the World University Games and would tie him with swimmer Jill Sterkel's five golds in 1981.
"I haven't proven myself at the Olympic level yet, so I don't feel right being compared to such a high profile swimmer as Matt Biondi, but it is a great honor to win four gold medals here," Warkentin said. "I came in with the goal of winning one gold medal and pretty much I saw the opportunity being presented to me on the first day. Since then it's just kind of fallen into place."
Warkentin's other golds have come in the 200m free, 800m free and 800m free relay.
USC teammate Gabe Woodward, a junior-to-be, also earned a medal on Thursday, swimming the lead-off leg for the bronze-medal winning U.S. team that swam a 3:24.16.
