It's the beginning of the end

LONDON, December 18:
Observations of experts at the Institute for Biomedical Research and Sports Epidemiology (IRMES) in France suggest that there will be no new sporting world records after 2060, as humans will have reached their physiological limits by that time.

The researchers followed analysis of 3,260 world records set since 1896, the year of the first modern Olympics. They found that athletes of that time used 75 per cent of their physical capacity, while it has touched 99 per cent mark today. Five disciplines, namely, athletics, cycling, weightlifting, swimming, and speed skating were studied during the study.

Based on their observations, the researchers came to the conclusion that sportsmen would soon start using 100 per cent of their physical capacity. "It's the beginning of the end," the Telegraph quoted Jean-Francois Toussaint, the head of IRMES, as saying. The researchers also reckoned that some current records - such as 10.49 seconds for the women's 100 metres, set by Florence Griffith-Joyner in 1988 - might remain unbroken forever. Toussaint believes that records should be less important than the way a race is run and the quality of the sporting contest in future.

Source: Times Of India