What is the Greatest World Record in Sport?

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  • ollie1004ollie1004 Posts: 754
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    Track and field wise... it's actually Paula Radcliffe's marathon world record. It ranks higher than both 100m world records (9.58/10.49) AND Wang Junxia's 29:31 for 10k on the IAAF points system for record improvement and event comparison. 2:15.25 is a truly astonishing time for a woman's marathon, no woman has ever got within 3 quarters of a mile of it, it'll stand for years!
  • CroctacusCroctacus Posts: 18,216
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    Javier Sotomayors high jump of 2.45 meters.

    Yep this one.....
  • jenziejenzie Posts: 20,821
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    Edwin Corley Moses (born August 31, 1955) is a former American track and field athlete, who won gold medals in the 400 m hurdles at the 1976 and 1984 Olympics. Between 1977 and 1987, Moses won 107 consecutive finals (122 consecutive races) and set the world record in his event four times.
  • BoxfreshBoxfresh Posts: 2,764
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    Mike Powell's long jump record. It's stood for over 20 years, and nobody in the event looks in danger of breaking it. The way the event has actually gone backwards, it could concievably never be broken.

    The mens long jump just appears to be the hardest record to break in general. Before Powell broke it in 1991, Bob Beamon had held the record for 23 years. Before that, Jesse Owens held it for 25 years. Only 4 men in history have ever held the long jump record, compared to dozens of men who've held the 100 metere world record, which is broken fairly regularly.

    Powell breaking the record was such a major feat that he won the BBC Overseas sports personality of the year in 1991.

    Powell never even won an Olympic Gold (just world titles), but he's an athletic legend because of that amazing jump. The last 3 long jump record holders are all legends. The next person who ever breaks the world jump world record is going to be a sporting immortal.
  • charliesayscharliesays Posts: 1,367
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    Boxfresh wrote: »
    Mike Powell's long jump record. It's stood for over 20 years, and nobody in the event looks in danger of breaking it.

    The mens long jump just appears to be the hardest record to break in general. Before Powell broke it in 1991, Bob Beamon had held the record for 23 years. Before that, Jesse Owens held it for 25 years. Only 4 men in history have ever held the long jump record, compared to dozens of men who've held the 100 metere world record, which is broken fairly regularly.

    Powell never even won an Olympic Gold (just world titles), but he's an athletic legend because of that amazing jump. The last 3 long jump record holders are all legends. The next person who ever breaks the world jump world record is going to be a sporting immortal.

    Jumped during an extremely suspect period, so that will always be tarnished for me.
  • The NetThe Net Posts: 5,484
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    Surely every world record is sensational because it's the best performance ever in that discipline. How you can compare sports like that can only be judged on personal enjoyment. I still believe Bob Beamons long jump record was probably the sporting moment that got you out of your seat in wonderment. Mike Powell eventually broke it and I recall that wonderful competition in Tokyo in 1991 and the battle between Powell and Lewis.
  • BoxfreshBoxfresh Posts: 2,764
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    Jumped during an extremely suspect period, so that will always be tarnished for me.

    That's a ridiculous statement. Every period is "suspect", including this current one. If we go by that thought, no record should count, because every athlete is potentially suspect.

    Bradley Wiggins just won the Tour De France (a race where recent winners have been caught or been accused of doping), yet nobody in the UK is casting aspersions on his achievement. Our velodrome cyclists are dominating and smashing world records, and the French are accusing them of being dopers. It's possible, but until there's even some decent circumstancial evidence, it's sour grapes. Doping is rife in cycling, yet UK is the current dominant force in cycling...yet there's no way the UK press or public would ever suggest Chris Hoy, Victorian Pendleton, Mark Cavendish and Bradley Wiggins were drug cheats.

    For all we know, Paula Radcliff's marathon world record is the resulting of doping, but she gets the benefit of the doubt (being British and all).

    Powell was never under any suspicion of doping in his career, and is actually zero tolerance against it and backs lifetime bans for athletes caught doping. His record is legal and there is nothing to suggest otherwise, no matter what period he was in. It would only be tarnished if there was some credible evidence that he had been part of a systematic doping programme (like East Germany did) or actually failed a test. Or like Flo-Jo, died of a heart attack in his 30's.
  • BoxfreshBoxfresh Posts: 2,764
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    bump.
  • Nova21Nova21 Posts: 13,985
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    Boxfresh wrote: »
    Mike Powell's long jump record. It's stood for over 20 years, and nobody in the event looks in danger of breaking it. The way the event has actually gone backwards, it could concievably never be broken.

    The mens long jump just appears to be the hardest record to break in general. Before Powell broke it in 1991, Bob Beamon had held the record for 23 years. Before that, Jesse Owens held it for 25 years. Only 4 men in history have ever held the long jump record, compared to dozens of men who've held the 100 metere world record, which is broken fairly regularly.

    Powell breaking the record was such a major feat that he won the BBC Overseas sports personality of the year in 1991.

    Powell never even won an Olympic Gold (just world titles), but he's an athletic legend because of that amazing jump. The last 3 long jump record holders are all legends. The next person who ever breaks the world jump world record is going to be a sporting immortal.

    Great post
  • BoxfreshBoxfresh Posts: 2,764
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    ollie1004 wrote: »
    Track and field wise... it's actually Paula Radcliffe's marathon world record. It ranks higher than both 100m world records (9.58/10.49) AND Wang Junxia's 29:31 for 10k on the IAAF points system for record improvement and event comparison. 2:15.25 is a truly astonishing time for a woman's marathon, no woman has ever got within 3 quarters of a mile of it, it'll stand for years!

    Radcliffe's record is dodgy. For a start, the London marathon sort of set it up for her to do it by giving her 4 male pacemakers, something that isn't supposed to happen for female runners.

    And while I won't accuse Radcliffe of doping, I'm pretty sure if she was a Chinese athlete who started making ridiculous improvements in the standard of her performances like she did, she'd have been placed under massive suspicion.
  • jediknight2k1jediknight2k1 Posts: 6,892
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    Boxfresh wrote: »
    Mike Powell's long jump record. It's stood for over 20 years, and nobody in the event looks in danger of breaking it. The way the event has actually gone backwards, it could concievably never be broken.

    The mens long jump just appears to be the hardest record to break in general. Before Powell broke it in 1991, Bob Beamon had held the record for 23 years. Before that, Jesse Owens held it for 25 years. Only 4 men in history have ever held the long jump record, compared to dozens of men who've held the 100 metere world record, which is broken fairly regularly.

    Powell breaking the record was such a major feat that he won the BBC Overseas sports personality of the year in 1991.

    Powell never even won an Olympic Gold (just world titles), but he's an athletic legend because of that amazing jump. The last 3 long jump record holders are all legends. The next person who ever breaks the world jump world record is going to be a sporting immortal.

    Probably because training techniques in the 100m have changed a lot over the last 50 years or and if you look at the times it's only broken by fractions of second.

    There will be a time when the record will stand for decades because humans can only run so fast.

    For me there is no greatest record as sprinting 100m in 9,58 seconds is just as much a feat as long jumping 8.95 meters.
  • BoxfreshBoxfresh Posts: 2,764
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    Probably because training techniques in the 100m have changed a lot over the last 50 years or and if you look at the times it's only broken by fractions of second.

    There will be a time when the record will stand for decades because humans can only run so fast.

    For me there is no greatest record as sprinting 100m in 9,58 seconds is just as much a feat as long jumping 8.95 meters.

    The 100 meters may only be broken by fractions (what do you expect, it's a race that only lasts less than 10 seconds), but it's continually broken. And while Bolt may seem untouchable now, the fact that pretty much everyone in the final (bar Asafa Powell because of a puled hamstring) ran sub-10 seconds shows that it's an event where the competition eventually catches up with the best. Bolt's record will be broken (where people were claiming a few years ago that no one would come close to it for a very long time), probably by a more mature Yohan Blake, or probably even someone else who is around now.

    The long jump record is just in another league. it is held for decades, and athletes don't even come close to breaking it. When there comes a time that the 100 metere record stands for decades and is as difficult to break as the long jump, then maybe. But for now, I think the long jump is the far greater record, as it's so rarely broken.
  • charliesayscharliesays Posts: 1,367
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    Any record from the 80's and early 90's that still stands is suspect. We know for a fact that the East Europeans were systematically doping, we now know for a fact that dozens of US athletes tested prior to 84, we now know that Carl Lewis failed tests prior to Seoul 88. And this is barely scratching the surface.

    Against that background and the US turning a blind eye to doping, you expect me to be 100% confident that there was nothing fishy going on? And let us not forget that Beamon's record was set at altitude, so Powell/Lewis on that night in Tokyo were riding even more roughshod over Beamon.

    Lance Armstrong took pity on those who can't believe in miracles, and look what happened there.
  • ProvinceProvince Posts: 587
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    Florence Griffith-Joyner's Women's 100m WR time of 10.49s has stood since 1988 and has never been seriously legally challenged by anyone since it was set almost 25 years ago.

    It will not be broken any time soon, if ever.
  • SurferfishSurferfish Posts: 7,659
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    Any record from the 80's and early 90's that still stands is suspect. We know for a fact that the East Europeans were systematically doping, we now know for a fact that dozens of US athletes tested prior to 84, we now know that Carl Lewis failed tests prior to Seoul 88. And this is barely scratching the surface.

    Against that background and the US turning a blind eye to doping, you expect me to be 100% confident that there was nothing fishy going on? And let us not forget that Beamon's record was set at altitude, so Powell/Lewis on that night in Tokyo were riding even more roughshod over Beamon.

    Lance Armstrong took pity on those who can't believe in miracles, and look what happened there.

    That doesn't make sense though. You seem to be saying that the reason that the long jump record from 1991 still stands is that Powell (and also presumably Lewis) achieved this distances only thanks to drugs.

    But then presumably that would also apply to the track events wouldn't it? If the long jumpers wre all on drugs then the sprinters most certainly would have been also. How come the sprint records have since all been broken?

    If Carl Lewis was able to jump 8.9 metres due to drugs why wasn't he also running the 100m in 9.3 seconds at that time?
  • The WulfrunianThe Wulfrunian Posts: 1,312
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    johnF1971 wrote: »
    That doesn't make sense though. You seem to be saying that the reason that the long jump record from 1991 still stands is that Powell (and also presumably Lewis) achieved this distances only thanks to drugs.

    But then presumably that would also apply to the track events wouldn't it? If the long jumpers wre all on drugs then the sprinters most certainly would have been also. How come the sprint records have since all been broken?

    If Carl Lewis was able to jump 8.9 metres due to drugs why wasn't he also running the 100m in 9.3 seconds at that time?

    To be fair, most of Lewis's contemporaries, and successors, were also juiced to the eyeballs. Hence records have fallen since, and bans have trailed behind. See Gatlin and Montgomery.

    Usain Bolt and Michael Johnson are a couple of freaks of nature, and I'd likely trust their records. All other bets are off as far as I'm concerned. It's an extremely murky period, particularly on the women's side with a host of farcical records that still remain.

    I'd argue the reason for Powell's jump not being improved upon is the relative lack of money in the event these days. A sprinter will remain a sprinter because that it where money can be made. Just look at the distances in the Olympics final to demonstrate that.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 25,366
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    p2bab wrote: »
    Nobody outside the UK knows who Edwards is.

    Really? I know who Mike Powell is...
  • BoxfreshBoxfresh Posts: 2,764
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    To be fair, most of Lewis's contemporaries, and successors, were also juiced to the eyeballs. Hence records have fallen since, and bans have trailed behind. See Gatlin and Montgomery.

    Usain Bolt and Michael Johnson are a couple of freaks of nature, and I'd likely trust their records. All other bets are off as far as I'm concerned. It's an extremely murky period, particularly on the women's side with a host of farcical records that still remain.

    I'd argue the reason for Powell's jump not being improved upon is the relative lack of money in the event these days. A sprinter will remain a sprinter because that it where money can be made. Just look at the distances in the Olympics final to demonstrate that.

    I think this is extremely suspect territory. If we can't trust the athletics records or achievements of anyone, why do British athletes mostly escape scrutiny. Cycling is one of the most doped up sports on the planet, yet when our cyclists win everything in sight, we give them knighthoods.

    There is a massive hypocritical double standard to the way British people question the sporting achievements of others, but not of themselves. When the 16 year old Chinese girl won the swimming in new world records, they were quick to call her doper. Never would have happened if a British swimmer had done the same thing.
  • batdude_uk1batdude_uk1 Posts: 78,722
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    Surley if we are including World Records from non-Olympic sports then Wayne Gretzky's total number of assists in the NHL will never be matched, never mind beaten!
  • MandarkMandark Posts: 47,929
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    petertard wrote: »
    Rebecca Adlington's 8.14.10 for the 800m freestyle. Still standing.
    I don't think that can be considered a great record any more now that a 15 year old nearly beat it.

    Bolt could have beaten his own 100m world record on Monday if he hadn't have sat in the blocks for a safe start. A legendary mark for Bolt would be a sub 19 run for the 200m. You'll catch me bouncing up and down the country if he does that one!!!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,845
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    Sun Yang broke the world record in the 1500 metre freestyle, set by Grant Hackett in 2001 and the longest-held world record in swimming at the time it was broken, and the only men's swimming record to not have been beaten during the techsuit era. He broke his own record again in the Olympics final and he's only 20 years old.
  • alexjones50alexjones50 Posts: 3,845
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    the woman's team persuit team beating the world record then beating it again 4 consecutive times is pretty damn impressive.
  • MandarkMandark Posts: 47,929
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    Province wrote: »
    Florence Griffith-Joyner's Women's 100m WR time of 10.49s has stood since 1988 and has never been seriously legally challenged by anyone since it was set almost 25 years ago.

    It will not be broken any time soon, if ever.
    I'd agree. Any woman who beats it wil be considered to either be on drugs or have a condition like Caster Semenya.

    I'm sure if Caster had continued to run untreated she'd have been able to run sub 1.50s 800m by now. Now that would be unbeatable!!
  • SurferfishSurferfish Posts: 7,659
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    the woman's team persuit team beating the world record then beating it again 4 consecutive times is pretty damn impressive.

    Alternatively it was a pretty weak world record to start with.

    The cycling world records seem to get broken every time the british riders set wheel on the track.
  • Paradise_LostParadise_Lost Posts: 6,454
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    johnF1971 wrote: »
    Alternatively it was a pretty weak world record to start with.

    The cycling world records seem to get broken every time the british riders set wheel on the track.

    It's a bit like long track speed skating at the Winter Olympics where many variables come into play, track conditions, equipment advances, etc. So comparing records is a bit of a fool's game in these sports.
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