Top 10 New World Records in Summer Olympics of 2012
The Summer Olympics is the pinnacle of any athlete’s career and is the culmination of four years intense training. This year’s games in London have proven to be the greatest ever, with athletes in all disciplines raising their game to a whole new level in an effort to achieve greatness by featuring on the medal podium. Gold medals must be earned and this often requires going beyond anything that has been achieved before – breaking world records. Here are 10 new world records in the Summer Olympics of 2012.
10) Un Guk Kim
Un Guk Kim was the second person on the North Korean team to achieve gold and broke the world record in doing so. By lifting a total of 327kg in the 62kg event, Kim beat a record that was set by world champion Zhang Jie, who missed out on a medal altogether, finishing only fourth. Kim lifted 153kg on his third attempt in the snatch and 174kg in the clean and jerk, also on his final attempt.
9) Sun Yang
The pool is always a location that sees records broken and the athletes at the London Aquatic Centre did not disappoint. 20 year old Sun Yang of China destroyed the field in his favourite event of the 1500m, posting a time of 14 minutes 31.02 seconds. That was 3.12 seconds quicker than his previous world record time. Arguably more impressive than the record though was the winning distance – Sun Yang finishing eight seconds ahead of Canada’s Ryan Cochrane.
8) Missy Franklin
17 year old Missy Franklin of the United States was one of the true stars of the games and lit up the Aquatic Centre on her way to four gold’s and one bronze medal. One of those gold medals was achieved in the 200m backstroke, where Missy set a new world record time of 2 minutes and 4.06 seconds, beating a record than had belonged to Zimbabwean swimmer Kirsty Coventry since 2009.
7) 3000m Team Pursuit
The Velodrome was one of the outstanding venues of the London Olympics, particularly if you were a Great Britain fan. Team GB won medals in nine out of the ten events, picking up seven gold’s along the way. One of these gold medals was achieved in the Women’s 3000 metres Team Pursuit with the team of Laura Trott, Joanna Roswell and Danni King beating the United States in the final in a time of 3 minutes and 14.051 seconds.
6) Lu Xiaojun
China had an outstanding Olympic Games, continuing the success of Beijing 2008 and finishing second only to the United States in the final medal table. 2011 world champion Lu Xiaojun was considered favourite to win gold in the men’s 77kg snatch competition and duly obliged, breaking the world record on his way to winning. A 175kg snatch helped him to a 379kg world record total.
5) United States 4x100m Women’s Relay team
The 4×100 metres relay for women was set to come down to a straight battle for gold between the fancied US team and their Jamaican rivals. In the end it proved no contest as the team of Tianna Madison, Allyson Felix, Bianca Knight and Carmelita Jeter stormed home in 40.82 seconds, beating a world record that had previously belonged to East Germany since 1985.
4) Men’s Cycling Team Sprint
Great Britain, led by Sir Chris Hoy went into this one as world record holders and favourites to win the gold medal and they came through in style, demolishing a strong French team in a new world record time of 42.600. Hoy and team-mates Jason Kenny and Phillip Hindes had also held the previous world record, setting the time in the semi-finals of the same competition.
3) Ye Shiwen
London 2012’s breakout swimming star was 16-year old ye Shiwen who had the world in awe as she destroyed the field on her way to posting a world record time of 4:28.53 in the 400m individual medley.
2) Jamaica 4x100m Men’s Relay Team
As with the women’s race, the men’s 4x100m relay was a fight between great rivals Jamaica and the US for gold. The problem for the US was the inclusion of Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake in the Jamaican team. The gold and silver medal individual 100m winners were helped by Nesta Carter and Michael Frater to a time of 36.84, breaking their own world record in the process.
1) David Rudisha
World records in the 800m are usually set with the help of pacemakers in single race events. The fact than 23 year old Kenyan athlete, David Rudisha managed to run a world record time of 1:40.91 in the Olympic final was simply stunning, becoming the first person ever to run under 1 minute and 41 seconds. The victory has turned Rudisha into a global superstar of the sport.
