# World record broken on same day it is set. **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [October 16, 2013, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-record-broken-on-same-day-it-is-set/671362 "2013-10-16T00:27:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kurtisokc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kurtisokc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kurtisokc)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2013, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-record-broken-on-same-day-it-is-set/671362/1 "2013-10-16T00:27:04Z")
I remember watching the Winter Olympics several years ago. A speed skater broke a world record, but it was only good enough for a bronze medal because two skaters who came after him ended up with better times. Is he officially credited with having held the world record, even if only for about 30 minutes? Would it make a difference whether it was broken on the same day but at a different competition? BTW this is not a hypothetical because I remember this actually happening. It was in 1998. I don’t know what race it was or the name of the skater, but I do remember that he was Belgian. ---
**Author:** ![Wallaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Wallaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallaby)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2013, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-record-broken-on-same-day-it-is-set/671362/2 "2013-10-16T00:52:06Z")
Generally, if it’s the same competition only the best final time stands. - ie when results are Official. But at least the first guy got a bit of recognition and applause at the time. Arguably, the shortest time anyone has held a World record was 0.2 seconds. It was in an Olympic Modern Pentathlon. Points are awarded for each of the five disciplines - equestrian, swimming, shooting, fencing and running - highest overall points wins. The last event (in this case) was a 3000-metre run. The first guy to cross the line finished with a Points total that was a new World record. But the guy who finished 2nd in the run (0.2 secs behind), wound up with a higher Points total (because he had performed better in the earlier events). So you could argue that - for a brief 0.2 secs - you were the World record holder. ---
**Author:** ![kurtisokc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kurtisokc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kurtisokc)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2013, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-record-broken-on-same-day-it-is-set/671362/3 "2013-10-16T01:12:04Z")
> [@Wallaby](#): > > Generally, if it’s the same competition only the best final time stands. - ie when results are Official. > But at least the first guy got a bit of recognition and applause at the time. > > Arguably, the shortest time anyone has held a World record was 0.2 seconds. It was in an Olympic Modern Pentathlon. Points are awarded for each of the five disciplines - equestrian, swimming, shooting, fencing and running - highest overall points wins. > The last event (in this case) was a 3000-metre run. The first guy to cross the line finished with a Points total that was a new World record. But the guy who finished 2nd in the run (0.2 secs behind), wound up with a higher Points total (because he had performed better in the earlier events). > So you could argue that - for a brief 0.2 secs - you were the World record holder. That’s kind of what I thought. Thanks for sharing the bit about the Modern Pentahlon record. Imagine being able to tell your grandkids that you held the world record for 0.2 seconds! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2013, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-record-broken-on-same-day-it-is-set/671362/4 "2013-10-16T01:28:09Z")
At one point in the 1998 baseball season, when Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa were both in pursuit of the record for most home runs in a season, McGwire and Sosa were tied for runs and were simultaneously playing in two separate games. Sosa got a run in his game and set a new record. But then McGwire hit a run in the game he was playing and re-established the tie. Sosa only held the record for forty-five minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2013, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-record-broken-on-same-day-it-is-set/671362/5 "2013-10-16T18:17:53Z")
> [@kurtisokc](#): > > That’s kind of what I thought. Thanks for sharing the bit about the Modern Pentahlon record. Imagine being able to tell your grandkids that you held the world record for 0.2 seconds! And still have the world record as the shortest reigning world record holder. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2013, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-record-broken-on-same-day-it-is-set/671362/6 "2013-10-16T19:20:28Z")
This happens quite a bit in swimming, and I’m sure track as well, since there are lots of qualifying heats. In swimming they tend to have the fastest few swimming in different heats so records are set in one heat and the very next heat broken again. I guess it would be nice to hold the record for about 5 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2013, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-record-broken-on-same-day-it-is-set/671362/7 "2013-10-16T19:24:02Z")
Similar to McGuire and Sosa, on May 1, 1920, Leon Cadore set a major league record for most innings pitched in a game when he started the 25th inning. In the bottom of that inning, Joe Oeschger tied that record. In the top of the 26, Cadore set the record again. In the bottom, Oescher tied him again. The game was called due to darkness, the longest game in MLB. Their record still stands and is unlikely to be broken. Jack Coombs and Joel Harris set the AL record (and previous MLB record) in a similar situation in 1906. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2013, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-record-broken-on-same-day-it-is-set/671362/8 "2013-10-16T19:33:29Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Similar to McGuire and Sosa, on May 1, 1920, Leon Cadore set a major league record for most innings pitched in a game when he started the 25th inning. I misread that at first as he had _just started_ pitching in the 25th inning - and still went on to set the record for most innings pitched. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2013, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-record-broken-on-same-day-it-is-set/671362/9 "2013-10-16T22:25:03Z")
[On 12 March 2006](http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/238200.html)Australia scored 434/6 in a one day international in Johannesburg, breaking the existing world record by 16 runs. Only for South Africa to come out and beat them by scoring 438/9. The Australian record stood for about 4 hours. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-record-broken-on-same-day-it-is-set/671362/10 "2013-10-17T00:30:38Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Similar to McGuire and Sosa, on May 1, 1920, Leon Cadore set a major league record for most innings pitched in a game when he started the 25th inning. In the bottom of that inning, Joe Oeschger tied that record. In the top of the 26, Cadore set the record again. In the bottom, Oescher tied him again. The game was called due to darkness, the longest game in MLB. Their record still stands and is unlikely to be broken. > > Jack Coombs and Joel Harris set the AL record (and previous MLB record) in a similar situation in 1906. Do you know the record in a game that had a winner? ---
**Author:** ![mcgato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@mcgato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcgato)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2013, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-record-broken-on-same-day-it-is-set/671362/11 "2013-10-17T23:35:30Z")
In track and field, there are IAAF (world governing body for track and field) ratified world records, which take quite a bit of documentation. There are also world records that are not ratified by the IAAF for various reasons, one of which is that it didn’t last very long. There are other groups that keep track of world record progressions, and they don’t care if the IAAF ratified them or not. Back in the 1968 Olympic triple jump, there were the following: Qualifying: Giuseppi Gentile (ITA) WR 17.10m Finals Round 1: Gentile WR 17.22m Round 3: Viktor Saneyev (URS) WR 17.23m Round 5: Nelson Prudencio (BRA) WR 17.27m Round 6: Saneyev WR 17.39m I’m guessing that Saneyev’s final mark was ratified by the IAAF, but not the others. Most lists of WR progression will list all of the marks. A quick look at the wiki WR progression lists all of those marks. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2013, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-record-broken-on-same-day-it-is-set/671362/12 "2013-10-18T08:29:38Z")
Don’t forget Jonathan Edwards and the triple jump in 1995. > [@](#): > > On his first jump, he became the first man to legally pass the 18-metre barrier with a jump of 18.16 m (59 feet 7 inches). That record lasted for about 20 minutes. His second jump of 18.29 m made him the first to jump 60 feet. So not quite the same as it was the same person that broke it but always worth mentioning such a great performance. Amazing that it is nearly 20 years ago it was broken. We always remember Bob Beamon’s record in the long jump as lasting for a long time but actually, Mike Powell’s (9.95 in 1991) is fast approaching the same vintage. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2013, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-record-broken-on-same-day-it-is-set/671362/13 "2013-10-18T09:10:05Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > So not quite the same as it was the same person that broke it but always worth mentioning such a great performance. Amazing that it is nearly 20 years ago it was broken. We always remember Bob Beamon’s record in the long jump as lasting for a long time but actually, Mike Powell’s (9.95 in 1991) is fast approaching the same vintage. 8.95m for Powell. It’s not how long Beamon’s record stood, it’s how much he broke the previous record by. He was the first man to jump 28 feet, and the first man to jump 29 feet _on the same jump_. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2013, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-record-broken-on-same-day-it-is-set/671362/14 "2013-10-18T10:07:41Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > 8.95m for Powell. > > It’s not how long Beamon’s record stood, it’s how much he broke the previous record by. He was the first man to jump 28 feet, and the first man to jump 29 feet _on the same jump_. :smack: now 9.95 would be a hell of a jump! unforgiveable typo on my part as I watched the whole thing live in rapt attention. Yep, Beamon’s jump was astonishing but it was at altitude, it was aided by a maximum legal wind and we didn’t get true picture of what the others were capable of due to changes in the weather immediately after Beamon’s jump. We’ll never quite know\* how \*good it was really although “pretty bloody amazing” is the minimum. ---
**Author:** ![Andrew\_21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bcef8e/32.png) [@Andrew\_21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andrew_21)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2013, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-record-broken-on-same-day-it-is-set/671362/15 "2013-10-18T16:16:52Z")
On December 27, 1975, Franco Harris set an NFL playoff game rushing record (153 yards); his record was broken later that day by Lawrence McCutcheon (202 yards). > [@kurtisokc](#): > > I remember watching the Winter Olympics several years ago. A speed skater broke a world record, but it was only good enough for a bronze medal because two skaters who came after him ended up with better times… > > It was in 1998. I don’t know what race it was or the name of the skater, but I do remember that he was Belgian. Was it [Bart Veldkamp?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bart_Veldkamp#Short_biography) “The next Olympic medal he won was as a Belgian at the 1998 Winter Olympics on the 5,000 m, in which he was the first skater ever to break the 6:30 barrier on that distance, but his time was beaten later that same day by former compatriots Rintje Ritsma and Gianni Romme.”