World records at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Encyclopedia
A number of new world record
s were set in various events at the 2008 Summer Olympics
.
World record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
s were set in various events at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
.
Athletics
- Men's 100m100 metresThe 100 metres, or 100-metre dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, it is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896...
: Usain BoltUsain BoltThe Honourable Usain St. Leo Bolt, OJ, C.D. , is a Jamaican sprinter and a five-time World and three-time Olympic gold medalist. He is the world record and Olympic record holder in the 100 metres, the 200 metres and the 4×100 metres relay...
of JamaicaJamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
, 9.69, (August 16) - Men's 200 m: Usain Bolt of Jamaica, 19.30
- Men's 4X100 m Relay: Team Jamaica: Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell, Nesta Carter, Michael Frater, 37.10
- Women's pole vault: Yelena IsinbayevaYelena IsinbayevaYelena Gadzhievna Isinbayeva is a Russian pole vaulter. She is twice an Olympic gold medalist , five-times a World Champion, and the current world record holder in the event...
of RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, 5.05m, (August 18) - Women's 3000 metre steeplechase: Gulnara Galkina-Samitova, 8:58.81 min, (August 17)
Archery
- Women's Team 1/4 Eliminations: Park Sung-Hyun, Yun Ok-HeeYun Ok-heeYun Ok-Hee is a South Korean archer, who won the gold medal in the team and a silver in the individual competition at the 2006 Asian Games.- 2008 Summer Olympics :...
and Joo Hyun-JungJoo Hyun-JungJoo Hyun-Jung is a female professional archer from South Korea.- 2008 Summer Olympics :At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing Joo finished her ranking round with a total of 664 points, nine points behind ranking leader Park Sung-Hyun...
of South KoreaSouth KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, 231, (August 10)
Shooting
- Women's 10 metre air rifle, qualification: Kateřina EmmonsKaterina EmmonsKateřina Emmons, née Kůrková is a female Czech sport shooter who competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics, where she won a bronze medal, and the 2008 Summer Olympics, where she won her first gold medal in the women's 10 metre air rifle competition, and the very first gold medal of that particular...
of the Czech RepublicCzech RepublicThe Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, 400, (August 9, equalled)
Swimming
- Men's 4 × 100m Freestyle Relay: Nathan AdrianNathan AdrianNathan Adrian is an American swimmer and Olympic gold medalist who currently holds the American record in the 50 and 100-yard freestyle ....
, Cullen JonesCullen JonesCullen Jones is an American freestyle sprint swimmer and Olympic gold medalist.-Early life:Born in the Bronx borough of New York City, Jones moved to Irvington, New Jersey while in elementary school...
, Ben Wildman-Tobriner, Matt GreversMatt GreversMatt Grevers is a professional American swimmer. He is best known for winning the silver medal in the 100 m backstroke at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.-Personal life:...
of the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
: 3:12.23, (August 10) - Men's 400m Individual Medley: Michael PhelpsMichael PhelpsMichael Fred Phelps is an American swimmer who has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008, becoming the most successful athlete at both of these Olympic Games editions...
of the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 4:03.84, (August 10) - Women's 400m Individual Medley: Stephanie RiceStephanie RiceStephanie Louise Rice OAM is an Australian swimmer. She currently holds the world record in the 400 m women's individual medley, and won three gold medals at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Rice is trained by Michael Bohl from the St Peters Western Swimming Club in Brisbane...
of AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, 4:29.45, (August 10) - Men's 100m FreestyleFreestyle swimmingFreestyle is an unregulated swimming style used in swimming competitions according to the rules of FINA. The front crawl stroke is almost universally used during a freestyle race, as this style is generally the fastest...
: Eamon SullivanEamon SullivanEamon Wade Sullivan is an Australian sprint swimmer.-Career :In April 2002 at the Australian Age Championships, Sullivan won the 50 m freestyle and came second in 100 m in his age group, and swam for Australia at Trans Tasman series with no dramatic result.In April 2003 at Brisbane in the Fisher &...
of AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, 47.24, (August 11) - Men's 4 × 100m Freestyle Relay: Jason LezakJason LezakJason Edward Lezak is an American Olympic swimmer, winner of 4 Olympic gold medals.He formerly swam for Irvine Novaquatics. He graduated from Irvine High School in 1994, and then from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1999. He is a member of the Rose Bowl Aquatics swim club...
, Michael PhelpsMichael PhelpsMichael Fred Phelps is an American swimmer who has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008, becoming the most successful athlete at both of these Olympic Games editions...
, Garrett Weber-GaleGarrett Weber-GaleGarrett Weber-Gale is an American Olympic swimmer who won two gold medals in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.-Early life:Weber-Gale is Jewish, and was born in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. He competed for the University of Texas from 2003–07...
and Cullen JonesCullen JonesCullen Jones is an American freestyle sprint swimmer and Olympic gold medalist.-Early life:Born in the Bronx borough of New York City, Jones moved to Irvington, New Jersey while in elementary school...
of the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
: 3:08.24, (August 11) - Women's 100m BackstrokeBackstrokeThe backstroke, also sometimes called the back crawl, is one of the four swimming styles regulated by FINA, and the only regulated style swum on the back. This has the advantage of easy breathing, but the disadvantage of swimmers not being able to see where they are going. It is also the only...
: Kirsty CoventryKirsty CoventryKirsty Leigh Coventry is a Zimbabwean swimmer and world record holder. She attended and swam competitively for Auburn University in Alabama, in the United States...
of ZimbabweZimbabweZimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
, 58.77, (August 11) - Men's 100m BreaststrokeBreaststrokeThe breaststroke is a swimming style in which the swimmer is on his or her chest and the torso does not rotate. It is the most popular recreational style due to its stability and the ability to keep the head out of the water a large portion of the time. In most swimming classes, beginners learn...
: Kosuke KitajimaKosuke Kitajimais a Japanese multiple Olympic gold medalist breaststroke swimmer. He won gold medals for the men's 100 m and 200 m breaststroke at both the Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 Olympics.-Major achievements:...
of JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, 58.91, (August 11) - Women's 200m Freestyle: Federica PellegriniFederica PellegriniFederica Pellegrini is an Italian swimmer. A native of Mirano, in the province of Venice, she is currently the women's 200 m freestyle and 400 m freestyle world record holder...
of ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, 1:55.45, (August 11) - Men's 200m Freestyle: Michael PhelpsMichael PhelpsMichael Fred Phelps is an American swimmer who has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008, becoming the most successful athlete at both of these Olympic Games editions...
of the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 1:42.96 (August 12) - Men's 100m Backstroke: Aaron PeirsolAaron PeirsolAaron Wells Peirsol is a former American swimmer who specialized in the backstroke. He is a three-time Olympian and seven-time Olympic medalist . As part of the American team, he holds the world record in the 4×100-meter medley relay...
of the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 52.54, (August 12) - Men's 100m Freestyle: Alain BernardAlain BernardAlain Bernard is a French swimmer from Aubagne, Bouches-du-Rhône.Bernard won three medals in the 2008 Summer Olympics. After competing on the silver medal-winning French 4×100 m relay team, Bernard won the gold medal in the men's 100 m freestyle event.He held the same 100 m...
of FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, 47.20, (August 13) - Men's 100m Freestyle: Eamon SullivanEamon SullivanEamon Wade Sullivan is an Australian sprint swimmer.-Career :In April 2002 at the Australian Age Championships, Sullivan won the 50 m freestyle and came second in 100 m in his age group, and swam for Australia at Trans Tasman series with no dramatic result.In April 2003 at Brisbane in the Fisher &...
of AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, 47.05, (August 13) - Women's 200m Freestyle: Federica PellegriniFederica PellegriniFederica Pellegrini is an Italian swimmer. A native of Mirano, in the province of Venice, she is currently the women's 200 m freestyle and 400 m freestyle world record holder...
of ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, 1:54.82, (August 13) - Women's 800m Freestyle: Rebecca AdlingtonRebecca AdlingtonRebecca "Becky" Adlington, OBE, is an English and British freestyle swimmer. She won two gold medals at the 2008 Olympic Games in the 400 m and 800 m, breaking the 19 year-old world record of Janet Evans in the 800 m final...
of Great BritainGreat BritainGreat Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, 8:14.10 , (August 16) - Men's 200m Butterfly: Michael PhelpsMichael PhelpsMichael Fred Phelps is an American swimmer who has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008, becoming the most successful athlete at both of these Olympic Games editions...
of the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 1:52.03 (August 13) - Women's 200m Individual Medley: Stephanie RiceStephanie RiceStephanie Louise Rice OAM is an Australian swimmer. She currently holds the world record in the 400 m women's individual medley, and won three gold medals at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Rice is trained by Michael Bohl from the St Peters Western Swimming Club in Brisbane...
of AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, 2:08.45, (August 13) - Men's 4 × 200m Freestyle: Ryan LochteRyan LochteRyan Steven Lochte is an American swimmer and a six-time Olympic medalist . As part of the American team, he holds the world record in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay...
, Michael PhelpsMichael PhelpsMichael Fred Phelps is an American swimmer who has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008, becoming the most successful athlete at both of these Olympic Games editions...
, Peter VanderkaayPeter VanderkaayPeter Vanderkaay is an American middle-distance freestyle swimmer. He is a three-time Olympic medalist.-Personal life:...
and Ricky BerensRicky BerensRichard Berens is an American Olympic swimmer.-Career:At the 2007 Pan American Games, Berens won a gold medal in the 4x100 m medley, and silver medals in both the 4x100 m freestyle and 4x200 m freestyle relays.At the 2008 Summer Olympics, Berens won the gold medal in the men's 4x200 m freestyle...
, of the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 6:58.56, (August 13) - Women's 200m Butterfly: Liu ZigeLiu ZigeLiu Zige is a world record holding swimmer from China. She swam for China at the 2008 Olympics, where she won the women's 200 butterfly in a new world record ....
of ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, 2:04.18, (August 14) - Women's 4 × 200m Freestyle Relay: Stephanie RiceStephanie RiceStephanie Louise Rice OAM is an Australian swimmer. She currently holds the world record in the 400 m women's individual medley, and won three gold medals at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Rice is trained by Michael Bohl from the St Peters Western Swimming Club in Brisbane...
, Linda MackenzieLinda MackenzieLinda June Mackenzie OAM is an Australian freestyle swimmer. She tends to prefer the longer 200m/400m/800m events and has won the Australian 400m national title five years in a row...
, Bronte BarrattBronte BarrattBronte Amelia Arnold Barratt OAM is a competitive swimmer from Australia. At the World Short Course Championships held in Shanghai in 2006, Barratt won the gold medal in women's 4x200m freestyle relay and an individual silver medal in the 400m freestyle.In 2007, she broke the oldest record in...
and Kylie PalmerKylie PalmerKylie Jayne Palmer OAM , is an Australian distance freestyle swimmer.She attended Grace Lutheran College, Rothwell...
of AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, 7:44.31, (August 14) - Women's 200m Breaststroke: Rebecca SoniRebecca SoniRebecca Soni is an American breaststroke swimmer and three-time Olympic medalist. She currently holds the world record in the 100 and 200 m breaststroke and is a former world-record holder in the 100 and 200 m breaststroke .Soni has won a total of nineteen medals in major...
of the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 2:20.22, (August 15) - Men's 200m Backstroke: Ryan LochteRyan LochteRyan Steven Lochte is an American swimmer and a six-time Olympic medalist . As part of the American team, he holds the world record in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay...
of the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 1:53.94, (August 15) - Men's 200m Individual Medley: Michael PhelpsMichael PhelpsMichael Fred Phelps is an American swimmer who has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008, becoming the most successful athlete at both of these Olympic Games editions...
of the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 1:54.23 (August 15) - Women's 200m Backstroke: Kirsty CoventryKirsty CoventryKirsty Leigh Coventry is a Zimbabwean swimmer and world record holder. She attended and swam competitively for Auburn University in Alabama, in the United States...
of ZimbabweZimbabweZimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
, 2:05.24, (August 16) - Women's 4 × 100m Medley Relay: Emily SeebohmEmily SeebohmEmily Jane Seebohm OAM is an Australian backstroke, freestyle, butterfly and individual medley swimmer.-Career:...
, Leisel JonesLeisel JonesLeisel Marie Jones OAM is an Australian Olympic gold medalist swimmer. A participant in the 2000 Summer Olympics – at just 15 years old – and 2004 Summer Olympics, she was part of gold medal winning Australian team in the women's 4 × 100 metre medley relay at the Athens Games in 2004 and a gold...
, Jessicah SchipperJessicah SchipperJessicah Lee Schipper OAM is an Australian swimmer. She trained at the Redcliffe Leagues Lawnton club in Brisbane, under veteran coach Ken Wood up until the conclusion of the 2008 Summer Olympics. Schipper now trains under the guidance of Stephan Widmer with the Commercial Swimming Club...
, Libby Trickett, of AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, 3:52.69 (August 17) - Men's 4 × 100m Medley Relay: Aaron PeirsolAaron PeirsolAaron Wells Peirsol is a former American swimmer who specialized in the backstroke. He is a three-time Olympian and seven-time Olympic medalist . As part of the American team, he holds the world record in the 4×100-meter medley relay...
, Brendan HansenBrendan HansenBrendan Joseph Hansen is an American breaststroke swimmer and four-time Olympic medalist...
, Michael PhelpsMichael PhelpsMichael Fred Phelps is an American swimmer who has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008, becoming the most successful athlete at both of these Olympic Games editions...
, Jason LezakJason LezakJason Edward Lezak is an American Olympic swimmer, winner of 4 Olympic gold medals.He formerly swam for Irvine Novaquatics. He graduated from Irvine High School in 1994, and then from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1999. He is a member of the Rose Bowl Aquatics swim club...
, of the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 3:29.34 (August 17)
Weightlifting
- Women's 69 kg: Liu ChunhongLiu ChunhongLiu Chunhong is a Chinese weightlifter.At the 2003 World Weightlifting Championships she won in the 69 kg category with a total of ten new world records and junior world records....
, of ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, 286, (August 13) - Men's 85 kg: Andrei RybakouAndrei RybakouAndrei Rybakou is a Belarusian weightlifter who won silver medals in Men's 85 kg at the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics.In April 2006 he won the European Championship...
, of BelarusBelarusBelarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
, 394, (August 15) - Women's +75 kg: Jang Mi-RanJang Mi-RanJang Mi-Ran is a female South Korean weightlifter. She is currently based in Goyang, Gyeonggi-do, playing for the Goyang City Government Sports Club....
, of South KoreaSouth KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, 140(Snatch), (August 16) - Women's +75 kg: Jang Mi-RanJang Mi-RanJang Mi-Ran is a female South Korean weightlifter. She is currently based in Goyang, Gyeonggi-do, playing for the Goyang City Government Sports Club....
, of South KoreaSouth KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, 186(Clean & Jerk), (August 16) - Women's +75 kg: Jang Mi-RanJang Mi-RanJang Mi-Ran is a female South Korean weightlifter. She is currently based in Goyang, Gyeonggi-do, playing for the Goyang City Government Sports Club....
, of South KoreaSouth KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, 326(Total), (August 16)