Athletics and swimming along with gymnastics are the foundation of the Olympic Games. If the third is governed by the standards of judges, the first two have their normative principles on the timing of online tests and on the measurement of jumps and throws. And using the tables of Olympic records valid before the 2024 Paris Olympics, it was observed that 12 athletics records still belong to the 20th century while in swimming they all belong to the 21st century.
He olympic record still oldest in America Bob Beamon in the long jump when he reached 8.90 meters in Mexico’68 Olympic Gamesa jump that only stopped short of being a world record 23 years later in 1991 when his compatriot Mike Powell It reached 8.95 at the Tokyo World Cup, a record that still stands and Beamon remains second in history.
Of the boycotted Olympic Games Moscow’80 Two women’s Olympic records are still on the list, set by Soviet athlete Nadezhda Olizarenko in 800 meters (1’53″43) and GDR athlete Ilona Slupianek in shot put (22,41). None of them remains valid as a world record because one for two laps of the track was set in 1983 by the Czechoslovak Jarmila Kratochvilova (1’53″28) and the weight of the other fell in 1987 to the Soviet Natalya. Lisovskaya ( 22.63 ), two world records far from the current reach and in the case of Kratochvilova’s 800 meters are now the longest running record in the world of athletics.
Of the ’88 Seoul Olympics At least six Olympic records remain in emblematic events in the women’s category such as the women’s 200 meters held by the late Florence Griffith-Joyner (21″34), the long jump (7.40) and the heptathlon (7,291 points). ) both from her sister-in-law Jackie Joyner-Kersey, established five days apart, East German Martina Hellmann’s discus throw (72.30) and the Soviet Union’s 4×400 meters (3’15″17) and the Soviet men’s hammer throw Sergei Litvinov (84.80). Three of them are still world records in the women’s category, Griffith’s 200 meters, Joyner’s heptathlon and Ledovskaya, Nazarova, Pinigina and Bryzgina’s 4×400 meter relay.
In the following Barcelona’92 Olympics There is no Olympic record left on the table and three of those established in Atlanta’96: the 2.39 meters of the American Charles Austin in the men’s high jump, the 18.09 meters of his countryman Kenny Harrison in the men’s triple jump and the 48.25 of the French Marie-José Pérec in the 400 meters, although none of the three. a world record at the time, the second best mark of all time in Harrison’s case or the third best mark of all time for Pérec.
In swimming there are no more Olympic records from the 20th century
Where there has been a major update of the Olympic table is in swimming as there is not a single Olympic or world record left before the 21st century. In fact the ‘oldest’ Olympic records were set way back Beijing’2008 and they are at the power of the American phenomenon Michael Phelps, in the 200 meter freestyle (1’42″96), in the 200 meter medley (1:54.23) and 400 meter medley (4’03″84). He also participated in two other records in the 4×100 m freestyle relay (3’08″24) and 4×200 m freestyle relay (6’58″56). Of all of them only 4×100 m. without Phelps, Webbe-Gale, Jones and Lezak remains the world record and oldest on the swimming chart.
In the women’s category the ‘oldest’ Olympic record was established in London’2012 in 200 m. back by American Mitzi Franklin (2’04″06) who in 2019 stopped being a world record.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Jason Root, a professional writer working with Today Times Live, the premier news website. I specialize in sports writing, covering the biggest stories in the world of athletics. With an eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, I provide engaging and informative articles that capture the key elements of any event or issue. My work has been featured on numerous respected websites and publications around the world.
