Longest-Standing World Record in Athletics Set in 1983 May Never Be Beaten

The longest-standing world record in athletics has stood for more than four decades, but will anyone break it? Keely Hodgkinson recently set her sights on the so-called "untouchable" feat.

The 23-year-old Brit, who claimed the Olympic 800m title at Paris 2024, clocked a personal best time of 1:54.61 in London last summer.

After becoming the sixth fastest woman in history over 800m, a confident Hodgkinson revealed that she is targeting one of the oldest track world records. "It's definitely something I've thought about since I raced in London," she said.

"I think that record has stood for so long. It's been a long time since anyone has hit [one minute] 53 seconds, so I'd love to do that," added Hodgkinson. "I think I can. I now believe I can do that."

The record Hodgkinson is referring to belongs to Czech-born Jarmila Kratochvílova, who clocked a time of 1:53.28 at the 1983 Olympiapark Meeting in Munich.

Kratochvilova wins the 800m event in Helsinki. Image credit: Getty

A few weeks later, at the inaugural World Championships in Helsinki, Kratochvílova took part in the 800m final and recorded a time of 1:54.68, but it was the record in Germany that grabbed headlines.

In the past, questions have been raised about Kratochvílova’s record, with some accusing the Czech athlete of foul play. But she has repeatedly denied knowingly taking drugs.

Kratochvílova believes her record-breaking feat was a result of hard work and consistency. She would train at 4am, sprinting in spikes on a frozen pond.

Her recovery from an Achilles injury also shows her dedication. Kratochvílova ran repetitions through a foot of water in a pool wearing a weighted vest and a gas mask to restrict her breathing.

"Perhaps you cannot imagine what it means to run 300 meters 20 times," she told The New York Times. "You should try it. Every day of my training was hard."

Ladislav Krnac, a journalist from Slovakia, said Kratochvílova was "willing to torture herself" to be the best. He added: "She didn't need orders. She knew, 'If I suffer, I can get good.' "

Kenya’s Pamela Jelimo has come within a second of that 1:53.28 world record, but Kratochvílova's record still sits highest on the all-time 800m table.