AW collaboration
The history of the Olympics can be traced back to ancient Greece. These games attracted athletes from all corners of the known world at the time and even wars were put on hold during the competitions. However, modern Olympics were first introduced to the public in 1896. Since then, these international tournaments have come to represent the pinnacle of talent. Some records have likewise stood the test of time while serving to set the bar for younger generations. Let’s take a look at a handful of the oldest Olympic athletic records to appreciate just how far we have come.
Men’s long jump
It only seems fitting to conclude by highlighting an Olympic record that has yet to be broken. This honour goes to Bob Beamon during the 1968 Olympics. He still holds the title as the athlete with the farthest long jump ever recorded at the Games with 8.90m. This feat has yet to be surpassed and Beamon is therefore in a class of his own.
These are only a few examples of how some athletes have stood the test of time. It is still a shame that few records exist from the original Olympics. We have to wonder how these very same competitors would view modern sports. Perhaps some of these would likewise be able to earn a coveted gold medal.
Women’s shot put
The most important sporting events in the world host both men and women, and that’s one of the reasons behind the existence of female categories in the Olympic Games. And the second oldest Olympic record was achieved back in 1980 in the women’s shot put in Moscow.
The East German athlete Ilona Slupianek cemented her place in Olympic history with a shot put throw of 22.41m – a mark that also still stands as No.3 on the world all-time rankings. Slupianek is also known for her two European shot put titles in 1978 and 1982, as well as three gold medals at the IAAF World Cup.
Women’s 800m
This next Olympic record has remained firmly in place since 1980 and it was won by Soviet athlete Nadezhda Olizarenko. She ran a total of 800m in an incredible 1:53.43 – a feat that other competitors have yet to trump. Not only was this important due to the fact that it occurred during the 1980 Moscow Olympics, but it served to highlight a career that stretched back as far as 1967. Unfortunately, Olizarenko passed away after a long illness in 2017 at the relatively young age of 63.
Jackie Joyner-Kersee (Mark Shearman)
The most complete discipline in the female sports world
Some disciplines demand high versatility from their athletes to achieve the successes they seek. None, however, come close to the heptathlon in athletics. This requires athletes to be skilled enough in seven different events, so being the best in the world in one of them is not necessary, but it is essential to have a high level in all of them.
Jackie Joyner-Kersee’s record of 7291 points set on September 24 at the 1988 Seoul Olympics is the fourth oldest in history, surpassing Sergey Litvinov’s hammer throw by two days. Joyner-Kersee and East German athletes Sabine John and Anke Behmer dominated the heptathlon at those Games.
