List of world records that were broken at the Tokyo Olympics 2020

World records are bound to fall at every Olympics, when the world’s greatest athletes compete on one stage and are pushed further and faster by advances in technology. Yet many also wondered whether swampy conditions in and around Tokyo — and the impact of a year’s delay — would hinder the expected monumental performances.

But athletes persevered and world records were shattered in a smattering of sports.

On the track, two Americans bested their own records in the 400-meter hurdles, looking up to the scoreboard in awe. Sydney McLaughlin set a new world record, beating the one she set earlier this year. Dalilah Muhammad, the defending Olympic champion, ran the second-fastest time in history.


The men’s 400-meter hurdles was a similar story: Both Karsten Warholm of Norway and Rai Benjamin of the United States broke the world record. Warholm won the race, obliterating his own world record, which he also set this year.

Yulimar Rojas of Venezuela smashed a triple jump world record that had gone uncontested for more than 26 years. In doing so, she became the first woman from Venezuela to win an Olympic gold medal.

Caeleb Dressel set two world records in the swimming pool: one in the 4×100-meter relay as part of the U.S. team and another in the individual 100-meter butterfly race. And the weight lifter Lasha Talakhadze of Georgia set three world records, in both lifts and his total.

World records in track cycling were broken multiple times during these Olympics. In men’s team pursuit, a world record fell during the first round, and again during the finals. In the women’s team pursuit, the world record was broken three times in the same day, first in qualifying rounds, and twice in the first round of competition.

China is departing these Olympics with 88 medals and five new world records across swimming, cycling, shooting and weight lifting events.

Here’s a look at all of the world records set during the Tokyo Games.

EVENTCOMPETITORNEWPREVIOUS
Cycling – TrackMen’s Team PursuitItaly3:42.0323:44.6722020
Cycling – TrackWomen’s Team PursuitGermany4:04.2424:10.2362016
Cycling – TrackWomen’s Team SprintBao S. / Zhong T.China31.804s32.034s2015
ShootingMen’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions FinalZhang ChanghongChina466.0pts465.3pts2018
ShootingWomen’s Trap QualificationZuzana Rehak StefecekovaSlovakia125pts123pts2019
ShootingMixed Team 10m Air Rifle QualificationYang Q. / Yang H.China633.2pts631.7pts2020
Sport ClimbingWomen’s SpeedAleksandra MiroslawPoland6.84s6.96s2020
SwimmingMen’s 4×100m Medley RelayUnited States3:26.783:27.282009
SwimmingMixed 4×100m Medley RelayBritain3:37.583:38.412020
SwimmingMen’s 100m ButterflyCaeleb DresselUnited States49.45s49.50s2019
SwimmingWomen’s 200m BreaststrokeTatjana SchoenmakerSouth Africa2:18.952:19.112013
SwimmingWomen’s 4×200m Freestyle RelayChina7:40.337:41.502019
SwimmingWomen’s 4×100m Freestyle RelayAustralia3:29.693:30.052018
Track and FieldWomen’s 400m HurdlesSydney McLaughlinUnited States51.46s51.90s2021
Track and FieldMen’s 400m HurdlesKarsten WarholmNorway45.94s46.70s2021
Track and FieldWomen’s Triple JumpYulimar RojasVenezuela15.67m15.50m1995
WeightliftingMen’s over 240 lbs. (Total)Lasha TalakhadzeGeorgia488kg485kg2021
WeightliftingMen’s over 240 lbs. (Clean and jerk)Lasha TalakhadzeGeorgia265kg264kg2019
WeightliftingMen’s over 240 lbs. (Snatch)Lasha TalakhadzeGeorgia223kg222kg2021
WeightliftingMen’s 161 lbs. (Total)Shi ZhiyongChina364kg363kg2019

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