The two-hour marathon record has been shattered. Sabastian Sawe's astonishing effort at the London marathon on Sunday, crossing the finish line in 1 hour 59 minutes and 30 seconds, made history. BBC commentator Steve Cram exclaimed, "They said it couldn't be done!" Shortly after, Yomif Kejelcha also broke the record, despite never having run a marathon before. Even Jacob Kiplimo came close, missing the sub-two-hour mark by just 28 seconds. The men's two-hour marathon is now a reality, prompting the search for new challenges.
World-Firsts Still Up for Grabs
Humans are not yet all-powerful, and several records remain to be achieved. Here are a few to inspire your next challenge.
The First Pacific Swim
Some see swimming the Pacific as achievable. French swimmer Benoît Lecomte attempted it in 2018, planning to swim 40 nautical miles daily from Japan to San Francisco. However, he gave up after 1,500 miles due to irreparable damage to his support boat. Lecomte previously claimed a world first for swimming the Atlantic in 1998, but Guinness World Records does not recognize it due to distance uncertainties. The first circumnavigation of Great Britain has been officially completed by Ross Edgley, who described it as "brutal."
The 9-Metre Long Jump
American Mike Powell's world record long jump of 8.95 metres in 1991 has never been surpassed, though he jumped a wind-assisted 8.99 metres the following year. Other long-standing athletics records include Florence Griffith-Joyner's 100m and 200m times from 1988, and the women's 400m and 800m records from the 1980s. Jonathan Edwards's triple jump of 18.29 metres, set in 1995, still stands, which he attributes to athletics "not keeping pace with the professionalism of sport."
The 30-Minute Breath Hold
Croatian freediver Vitomir Maričić achieved 29 minutes and 3 seconds in 2025, but the 30-minute mark remains elusive. The previous record was held by his countryman Budimir Šobat, whose time of 24 minutes and 37.36 seconds was longer than an episode of The Simpsons. Šobat started freediving at age 48, noting that age helped him stay calm. "Of course, you have to be a little bit mad," he added.
The First Ascent of Gangkhar Puensum
At 7,570 metres, Gangkhar Puensum is the highest unclimbed peak on Earth. Several attempts were made in the 1980s, but Bhutan banned climbing peaks over 6,000 metres in 1994, citing respect for local spiritual beliefs. The mountain's name means "White Peak of the Three Spiritual Brothers."
