When the Olympic Games or a major competition approaches, besides following your country’s performance or watching the greatest sports stars together, one of the most important moments is when an European, Olympic or world record is broken.

To begin with, let’s define what a record is and the differences between them.

“A record is the best mark registered in performing an activity, generally competitive in nature. It can refer to an individual or collective achievement that surpasses all previous marks in a given category or discipline.”

So, as the name suggests, a European record is the best mark achieved by a European athlete in a particular discipline; an Olympic record is the best mark achieved by an athlete of any nationality during the Olympic Games; and a world record is the best mark achieved by an athlete of any nationality in any event. Therefore, as we see in the example, an athlete can hold a world record but not an Olympic record, and vice versa.

Pole Vault Record

• European Record: Armand Duplantis, 6.27 m (February 2025)
• Olympic Record: Armand Duplantis, 6.25 m (August 2024)
• World Record: Armand Duplantis, 6.27 m (February 2025)

Once we have defined what a record is and set the context of the types of records, let’s get to the really interesting question: when will records stop being broken?

Some experts, with the help of artificial intelligence, have predicted that by 2068, humans will have reached their limit and most records will no longer be broken. This study bases its theory on the percentage of human capacity developed. It estimates that in the first modern Olympic Games (1896), humans had reached 66% of their potential, while by the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games it was around 99%.

But why so long if humans are supposedly at 99% of their capacity? In 2008, when experts at IRMES estimated that records would cease being broken by 2068, they did not take into account all the recent advances. Artificial intelligence, ever more advanced knowledge on training, preparation and physical condition, and technological advances in the materials surrounding events (sports equipment, tracks, clothing, footwear, swimsuits) are key for humans to keep pushing their own limits.

Are these factors key to continuing breaking records?

Artificial Intelligence:
AI helps optimize training, can analyse biomechanical factors in real time that humans cannot, establish ideal competition strategies, offer advanced simulations, and even assist in developing sports technology. A recent example is Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge in the INEOS 1:59 challenge, where algorithms were used to determine the perfect pace, the formation of pacemakers, and the route to break the marathon record. The only possible downside is the ethical aspect, since it partly detracts from human merit.

New trends in training:
Innovations in nutrition, training and recovery not only help prevent injuries and prolong athletes’ careers but also directly influence record-breaking performances. The more we study the human body, the more we understand its limits and how to reach them.

New technologies in materials:
This is one of the most controversial points. Since 1968, when many world records were broken, the trend has been downward except for one exception in swimming: Beijing 2008. There, polyurethane swimsuits appeared, made from a material that reduced water resistance, improved buoyancy, and offered muscular compression to reduce fatigue. Twenty-five world records were broken, something never seen before in a single edition. In 2010, FINA banned these swimsuits, and since then most of those records have become difficult benchmarks to beat; about ten of them remain current today.

A fact to reflect on

Although we see that the numbers of world and Olympic records continue year after year or competition after competition, this is partly due to the emergence of new disciplines and competitions. There are already marks that have stood for more than 40 years, such as men’s hammer throw (Moscow 1980), men’s discus throw (Munich 1972), men’s long jump (1991), women’s 400 m (1985) or women’s 4×400 m relay (1988).

Conclusion

From what we have seen and what most studies say, we cannot set an exact date for when world records will stop being broken. What we do know is that humans are very close to their maximum potential and, in the not-too-distant future, without the help of technology, AI and new knowledge, it will be very difficult to keep breaking world records. The emergence of new disciplines, sports and modalities could allow records to continue, but what today we consider traditional records are about to reach their threshold values.