04/24/24
February 18, 2010
Has Human Athletic Achievement Peaked?: Based on studies by sports scientists, a story in today's Los Angeles Times claims that human athletic achievement has reached its peak and from now on records will broken less frequently, if at all. "A French researcher who analyzed a century's worth of world records concluded in a recent paper that the peak of athletic achievement was reached in 1988," writes Shari Roan. "Achievement appears to have plateaued throughout the sports world."
to have plateaued
When athletes first debuted, they might not even have finalled, but now there are many more of them podiumed, with some having medalled as well.
Seriously, I need to beer.
posted by owlhouse at 03:25 PM on February 18, 2010
owl - don't you mean I need to have been beered?
posted by kokaku at 03:31 PM on February 18, 2010
Just went to spikesmag.com ... other than the running events, I think we've just about reached the limits. Most of these records ... 20 feet plus pole vault, 8 feet high jump, nearly 30 feet in long jump ... have lasted for around 20 years. In running, I'm sure Usain Bolt could check replays of his record sprints and see where he could have shaved another 10- or 12-hundredths off his marks. If someone really pushed it, we could see 1:40 in the 800 and 3:40 in the mile.
posted by jjzucal at 04:18 PM on February 18, 2010
In running, I'm sure Usain Bolt could check replays of his record sprints and see where he could have shaved another 10- or 12-hundredths off his marks.
I think he can do better than that. He slowed down in the Olympics after he won, so he could have had a better time.
posted by bperk at 04:29 PM on February 18, 2010
"Achievement appears to have plateaued throughout the sports world."
I believe Charles Darwin (if he were alive) might have something to say about this.
the peak of athletic achievement was reached in 1988
Maybe PEDs played a role in such high achievements in 1988.
posted by cjets at 05:07 PM on February 18, 2010
I think it was the researcher's grandfather who surrendered France to Germany in WW2 even though less than half the French Army had been engaged because he felt they had plateaued?
posted by irunfromclones at 05:14 PM on February 18, 2010
Has human athletic achievement peaked? Mine has.
posted by JJ at 05:17 PM on February 18, 2010
Are we human, or are we dancers?
posted by owlhouse at 06:11 PM on February 18, 2010
I suspect someone has already beered.
posted by cjets at 06:24 PM on February 18, 2010
I once peaked three times in one night.
posted by smithnyiu at 06:31 PM on February 18, 2010
I think the only thing that's "peaked" is how fast a person can throw a baseball....that's something that hasn't really gotten any faster in 100 years.
posted by bdaddy at 06:50 PM on February 18, 2010
Sounds a lot like "Everything that can be invented has been invented."
posted by mr_crash_davis at 08:50 PM on February 18, 2010
"Everything important in Physics has already been discovered."
- circa 1890
posted by owlhouse at 10:04 PM on February 18, 2010
"Oh there may be room in the world for up to five computers."
- IBM circa 1955
"History is Dead."
- Fukiyama, circa 1993.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 11:16 PM on February 18, 2010
Well, nobody's gonna run a 3 second mile - so the peak's gotta be coming up
posted by bobfoot at 11:50 PM on February 19, 2010
Breaking the four-minute-mile used to be considered beyond the ability of humans.