Amazing Sports Records Throughout History
We’re all struck by sports records because they show us that human abilities are constantly exceeded. It’s amazing how these athletes push themselves to the limit, without looking fazed at all!
Nevertheless, and even though athletes are getting better every day, many of these world records have remained unbroken for years.
In today’s article, we’ll go over some of these unbeatable sports records. Are you ready for your jaw to drop?
Sports records to amaze you
It’s impossible to say that a given record is actually “unbeatable”. Nowadays, athletes are often better prepared than their predecessors. What is considered “normal” in a competition nowadays was unthinkable a couple of decades ago.
However, for the time being, these sports records are the ones that no one has been able to beat. Surprise yourself with these amazing marks!
1. The fastest 200m swimmer in an individual medley
If there’s a ‘taboo test’ in swimming, it’s the 200 meters individual medley. This is because, on the one hand, it’s a difficult competition. Swimmers must change their style after reaching the other side of the pool – butterfly, back, chest, and freestyle.
On the other hand, the test has had a long history of doping in recent years.
Apparently, the ‘curse’ of this test has been broken thanks to the Hungarian, Katinka Hosszu – cover image – who broke the record at the Kazan World Swimming Championships in 2015.
The swimmer achieved a time of 02: 06, three-hundredths of a second less than the American, Ariana Kukors, who held the record since 2009.
Since 2012, Katinka has won 300 EU gold medals and holds four consecutive World Swimming Champion titles in the same event, the second athlete ever to achieve that after Michael Phelps.
2. Sports records: basketball scores
The history of the NBA is really exciting, especially when we talk about records in sports.
It was the year 1962 when the young Wilt Chamberlain scored nothing more and nothing less than 100 points in a single game. His team, the Philadelphia Warriors, beat the New York Knicks by 169 to 147, evidently thanks to the performance of the big dipper.
Since then, the basketball players who were closest to the Chamberlain brand were Kobe Bryant (81 points in the Los Angeles Lakers) and David Thompson (73 scores in the Denver Nuggets).
Europeans in the NBA are increasing, which marks the growth of basketball in this continent. Let’s see what the future holds!
3. The perfect gymnast: exceptional sports records
Nadia Comaneci went down in the history of the Olympics by becoming the first and — so far — the only gymnast to receive a ten for her presentation. Even the board wasn’t ready for that score, and the judges had to add an extra 1.00 (the highest so far had been 9.95).
The perfect gymnast was only 14 years old at the time of the record. She won nine Olympic medals, five of them gold, and next to the Russian Svetlana Khorkina, is the three-times European Championship champion.
Nadia Comaneci made history in the Olympic Games, and many gymnasts today still admire her.
4. The longest jump in the world
We must travel back to the nineties, more precisely to 1991, to talk about one of the most amazing athletic records.
Tokyo hosted the World Athletics Championships when Mike Powell broke the long-standing long jump record. The previous record, by Bob Beamon, had been standing for almost 23 years with an 8.91 meters jump.
Powell broke the record by two full inches, leaping 8.95 meters. This record still stands, and because of it, Powell is the fourth athlete to hold the long jump world record for more than 20 years.
5. Sports records: undefeated boxers
Rocky Marciano is one of the best boxers in history, of that there is no doubt. He is also the one to hold an unbeatable world record: 49 victories in 49 fights. Yes, an undefeated champion! What’s more, 43 of those fights were won by knockout.
It took almost 60 years for another fighter to match his record: in 2015 Floyd Mayweather Jr. announced his retirement after winning 49 fights – 26 by knockout and 23 by decision. Two years later, Mayweather returned to the ring and beat Conor McGregor, which reached a new world record.
Nevertheless, Rocky Marciano still holds the record for more knockout victories, and it doesn’t seem as if anyone is going to challenge it soon!
Picture: CNN en Español
6. Top scorer in a soccer world cup
Another sports record that can’t be missed is the one by Just Fontaine. This Moroccan-born athlete also holds a French nationality, and currently stands as the top scorer at a FIFA World Cup!
While playing for the French team, Fontaine managed to make 13 goals in Sweden. According to experts, this was one of the best cups in history. This, coupled with the excellent player Raymond Kopa, led France to third place in the tournament.
Fontaine scored three goals against Paraguay, two against Yugoslavia, one against Scotland, two against Northern Ireland, one against Brazil and four against Germany. Although he’s now retired, he was a soccer-playing machine!
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Feltz, D. L. (1988). Self-Confidence and Sports Performance. Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews. https://doi.org/10.1249/00003677-198800160-00016
- Ingeborg Zenner de Polanía. Récords olímpicos: humanos vs. insectos. Rev. U.D.C.A Act. & Div. Cient. 15 (Supl. Olimpismo): 37 – 45, 2012. http://www.scielo.org.co/pdf/rudca/v15s1/v15s1a06.pdf