Which "unreachable" sports records could be broken?

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sneakytitz

Registered User
Mar 8, 2023
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Atlanta, GA, USA
There are a number of sports records that won't be broken. Gretzky's total points and assists, Cy Young's wins, Jerry Rice's receiving yards, Wilt's PPG, Petty's total NASCAR wins. But what/which sports records that once seemed insurmountable have a chance at being broken one day?

Does TJ Watt have a shot at Bruce Smith's sack record? Can Ovechkin overtake Gretzky in goals? Will Katie Ledecky or Caeleb Dressel end up with more Olympic medals than Phelps?

What say you?
 
It won't get the attention of some of the achievements mentioned but today a horse named Bango could become the winningest horse in the history of Churchill Downs with 12 victories.

The prior record, by Ready's Rocket, was set at nine wins 11 years ago and before that no documentation exists of a horse winning more times in the roughly 150 years of the track's history (though records were sparse).

Churchill is arguably America's most known racetrack.
 
In this year's Tour de France 39 year-old Mark Cavendish broke the record for most career stage wins, which stood for almost 30 years and was considered untouchable.
 
In this year's Tour de France 39 year-old Mark Cavendish broke the record for most career stage wins, which stood for almost 30 years and was considered untouchable.

Uhmm… Merckx won his last stage in 1975, Cavendish tied the record in 2021. That’s 46 years, not 30. Now that said, Merckx’s record of TdF stage wins isn’t even his most impressive record. His 96 Yellow Jerseys are 21 more than 2nd place (Hinault) and given the way the sport has evolved it’s hard to imagine anyone matching that.
 
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Uhmm… Merckx won his last stage in 1975, Cavendish tied the record in 2021. That’s 46 years, not 30. Now that said, Merckx’s record of TdF stage wins isn’t even his most impressive record. His 96 Yellow Jerseys are 21 more than 2nd place (Hinault) and given the way the sport has evolved it’s hard to imagine anyone matching that.

Are you telling me it's not 2004?! Holy hell I've got some movies I need to return to Blockbuster ASAP!! Those late fees are gonna be astronomical.

Sorry. You're right of course. Was just typing a quick post and not really doing correct math.
 
This one surprised me:

In 1983, Jarmila Kratochvílová set the world record for the 800 metres, which still stands and is currently the longest-standing unshared individual world record in athletics. Only two athletes, Pamela Jelimo of Kenya (2008), and Caster Semenya of South Africa (2018), have come within a second of Kratochvílová's mark since it was set
 
This one surprised me:

In 1983, Jarmila Kratochvílová set the world record for the 800 metres, which still stands and is currently the longest-standing unshared individual world record in athletics. Only two athletes, Pamela Jelimo of Kenya (2008), and Caster Semenya of South Africa (2018), have come within a second of Kratochvílová's mark since it was set
Then there's Marita Koch's (DDR) world record of 400 meters from 1985; 47.60 seconds. No one else, except for the aforementioned Kratochvilova, has ever run under 48 seconds, and today's top 400 m runners can't even get close.

Since I'm not sure whether it's allowed to 'speculate' about 'unproven(?) allegations', I'll just say that they were very gifted athletes who were at the right place at the right time. (How's that for diplomacy?)
 
In the case of Koch it's as good as proven that she was given anabolic steroids at least from 1981 to 1984.
 
It won't get the attention of some of the achievements mentioned but today a horse named Bango could become the winningest horse in the history of Churchill Downs with 12 victories.

The prior record, by Ready's Rocket, was set at nine wins 11 years ago and before that no documentation exists of a horse winning more times in the roughly 150 years of the track's history (though records were sparse).

Churchill is arguably America's most known racetrack.

And today that record was broken.


In 149 years of racing at Churchill Downs, no horse had ever won more than 11 races on the famed Louisville, Ky. oval.​
Until now.​
Bango took his rightful place in Churchill Downs lore Sept. 27 when he raced to a record 12th victory under the twin spires. By capturing the third race, a $136,600 open allowance contest worthy of stakes status, the son of Congrats became the winningest horse in Churchill Downs history.​
 
It is a long way to go, but Ingemar Stenmark's 86 WC wins in Alpine Skiing. Odermatt is currently 27 years old and has won 44 races, so he is half way there. Still very unlikely, but after Hirscher missed the mark, I was not expecting anyone else having a chance in the near future.
 

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