• deft@lemmy.wtf
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    4 days ago

    Definitely insane but I don’t think it’s that insane. There are definitely far more embellishments that are unbelievable than that.

    I do also think we should account for straight genetic freaks. They lived back then too. I doubt this guy was one but I’d bet the fastest person that ever lived has a higher likelihood of being lost to history than competing professionally today

    • horse@feddit.org
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      4 days ago

      To be fair, I don’t think the most gifted genetic freak in history running bare foot or in sandals would beat today’s elite with access to modern training science, nutrition and equipment. That stuff makes a huge difference.

      • Bronzebeard@lemmy.zip
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        4 days ago

        Current high school students regularly beat Olympians’ times from like the early 1900s. They used to run on tracks made of ash or some shit.