# world records

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-records/35181>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 30, 2000, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-records/35181 "2000-09-30T20:30:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![djf750](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ea666f/32.png) [@djf750](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/djf750)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2000, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-records/35181/1 "2000-09-30T20:30:24Z")

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if they keep breaking the world record in swimming and in running, will humans one day be able to run the 100 meters in 3 seconds or swim the 50 meters in 5 seconds -at what point will humans stop being able to run or swim faster?

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**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2000, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-records/35181/2 "2000-09-30T20:34:34Z")

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My guess is that if too much time goes by without a new record being set in a timed event, they’ll just increase the number of decimal places they round to to usher in another golden age of performance.

But, I’m kind of cynical about sports that use clocks.

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**Author:** ![AETBOND417](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/47e85d/32.png) [@AETBOND417](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AETBOND417)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2000, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/world-records/35181/3 "2000-09-30T22:18:56Z")

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TIME magazine did an article about this a few months back. They mentioned the decrease in the mile time since Roger Bannister broke the 4 minute barrier. The mile record rests at 3:43.13 (Hicham el Guerrouj - Morocco), and is estimated to plateau around 3:29. There is clearly a limit as to how fast we can run, based on the fact that a person’s legs are not capable of such rapid movement for such long durations. Even the fastest man in the world, running his 100m sprint speed for a mile would take 2 minutes and 40 seconds. We ALL know that this speed CANNOT be held for 1600 meters (1 mile).

[This site](http://www.runnersworld.com/home.html) is beautifully arranged and answers your question with stats.

Go to the upper left, click on Records and Stats. Then go to “Progression of Track World Records, Men.”

I apologize I couldn’t get a direct link.