Will Sports Records Continue Forever?

I stumbled upon an interesting article today on about.com. Check It Out. The author questioned the notion of whether records are limitless. Or rather, can athletes continue to achieve new records forever?

This question really got me thinking... Is there really a limit and when would it be met?

The author explored the two major genetic factors limiting a person's performance no matter how motivated they are. First, the heart's ability to pump blood. And second, the muscles' ability to convert oxygen into ATP. These two functions have a limit in the body and therefore will limit an athlete no matter how hard they try.

Then I remembered that in the near future we'll be making our athletes in science laboratories so this debate really doesn't even matter. But ignoring the future of genetics, I have to agree with this author that at some point swimmers will be unable to swim any faster. No matter how you position your hand in the watter. Or how hard you kick - you still won't be able to do any better. But I doubt we're anywhere close to reaching that point in most sports. Many by the 3008 Olympics. That gives us 1000 years to make sure the U.S. holds the #1 spot for all sports... even curling.

What a great Sport!