Records are meant to be broken.
But which type, to be exact?
As the 2024 Olympics in Paris near, one such question that could emerge involves the difference between Olympics records and world records.
Are they the same? Can they be the same? Let's break it all down as athletes look to make their best mark in Paris:
Are Olympic records different than world records?
The main difference between Olympic records and world records is that an athlete can set an Olympic record, but it might not be good enough to topple the world best.
However, sometimes the Olympic record is the world record, so the athlete that did so would have both.
How much money do you get if you break a world record in the Olympics?
There typically isn't a monetary award that comes alongside setting a world record in the Olympics. However, the 2024 Games has a first-time change that'll see World Athletics paying gold-medal-winning athletes $50,000 in the 48 track and field events.
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That decision has been met with criticism, though, since not all sports have the financial capacity to do the same.
What is better, an Olympic or world record?
It would depend on who you ask, but setting an Olympic record holds more weight due to the competition's prestige and rarity.
What is the meaning of an Olympic record and world record?
An Olympic record is set during either the Summer or Winter Games, both of which occur every four years. The athlete with a record had the best ever Olympic performance in that event.
World records are set during championship events, which can range from biannual tournaments to more frequent ones. A world record can be set during the Olympics.
Can one person hold both a world record and Olympic record?
Yes, an athlete can be both a world-record holder and an Olympic-record holder. But that mark would have to be set in the Olympics.
