Records and firsts that are still up for grabs
PHOTOGRAPH: DAMIR SENCAR/AFP/GETTY IMAGES Freediver Vitomir Maričić in training 1995, right, Mike Powell in 1991 and Gangkhar Puensum 28 Apr 2026 - The Guardian Esther Addley Bad news for anyone who secretly fancies themselves every time they lace up their trainers: the twohour marathon record has gone. Sabastian Sawe’s astonishing effort at the London marathon on Sunday – cruising across the finish line on the Mall in 1hr 59 mins and 30 secs like a man who has just jogged a parkrun – shattered a record that was long seen as beyond human capability. “They said it couldn’t be done!” roared BBC commentator Steve Cram. And then, 11 seconds later, Yomif Kejelcha did it too – and he’d never even run a marathon before. The men’s two-hour marathon in race conditions has been comprehensively done. Find yourself a new challenge. Happily, humans are not yet all-powerful and a few records and firsts – both athletic and otherwise – remain to be achieved. Here are a few to inspire your next ch...