Comments on: Will We Keep Breaking Olympic Records Forever? http://www.skorks.com/2008/08/will-we-keep-breaking-olympic-records-forever/ For the betterment of the software craft... Mon, 21 Nov 2011 13:57:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Skiphttp://www.skorks.com/2008/08/will-we-keep-breaking-olympic-records-forever/comment-page-1/#comment-40 Skip Sat, 23 Aug 2008 08:15:27 +0000 http://www.skorks.com/?p=38#comment-40 It seems cynical to think that the new records from the Olympics are all due to drugs, but unrealistic to think that NONE of them are. Athletes seem to have so much pressure from coaches, sports institutions, and of course, the general public that it's only human to feel the pressure of a nation on your shoulders, and to do whatever you can to give yourself an edge over everyone else. I don't think that you can rule out psychology and pure human spirit in some of the results too. With the 4-minute mile, it was thought for a long time it was an unachievable feat - then when it was broken, lots of people began to break it. Maybe it's the same with the Olympics: and every new record shows us what is possible and sets the bar a little higher for the future. It seems cynical to think that the new records from the Olympics are all due to drugs, but unrealistic to think that NONE of them are. Athletes seem to have so much pressure from coaches, sports institutions, and of course, the general public that it’s only human to feel the pressure of a nation on your shoulders, and to do whatever you can to give yourself an edge over everyone else.

I don’t think that you can rule out psychology and pure human spirit in some of the results too. With the 4-minute mile, it was thought for a long time it was an unachievable feat – then when it was broken, lots of people began to break it. Maybe it’s the same with the Olympics: and every new record shows us what is possible and sets the bar a little higher for the future.

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