Question 1

True or false: Biondi graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a degree in economics.

Accepted Answer

True. He was a Cal Bear, earning a degree in economics while swimming for the legendary coach Nort Thornton.

Question 2

True or false: Matt Biondi once won gold medals in five different individual events at a single Olympics.

Accepted Answer

False. He won 5 golds total in 1988, but only two were individual (50 free, 100 free). The rest were relays.

Question 3

True or false: Biondi once swam the 50-meter freestyle in under 22 seconds in a textile suit.

Accepted Answer

True. In 1988, he swam 21.81 in the 50 free at the US trials, the first man under 22 seconds in a non-supersuit era.

Question 4

True or false: Biondi once set a world record in the 100-meter freestyle that stood for over a decade.

Accepted Answer

True. His 48.42 in 1988 broke the world record and lasted until 1994, when Alexander Popov finally beat it.

Question 5

True or false: Matt Biondi won more gold medals in a single Olympics than any other US male swimmer.

Accepted Answer

False. Michael Phelps holds that record with 8 golds in 2008. Biondi won 5 golds in 1988, impressive but not the most.

Question 6

True or false: Matt Biondi qualified for the Olympics as a water polo player after his swimming career.

Accepted Answer

False. He never played water polo at an Olympic level. He did play college water polo but only swam in the Olympics.

Question 7

True or false: In 1986, Biondi broke a world record that had been held by Mark Spitz for over a decade.

Accepted Answer

False. Spitz's 100 fly world record fell in 1981. Biondi's 1986 record was in the 100 free, not related to Spitz.

Question 8

True or false: Biondi was a member of the 4x100 medley relay team that set a world record in 1985.

Accepted Answer

True. At the 1985 US Nationals, Biondi anchored the relay with a blazing split, helping break the world record.

Matt Biondi Trivia Questions