“I don’t think it’s a good sign for athletics as a sport that you have a record that stands for 30 years.”
Jonathan Edwards’ pride in his triple jump world record is tinged with surprise at the fact no-one has surpassed the 18.29m he set on 7 August 1995 at the World Championships in Gothenburg.
“When you think of all the developments in sports science, nutrition, training methods, all of those things, I don’t think it necessarily speaks to a really healthy and thriving sport, if I’m honest,” Edwards, who is Britain’s only track and field world record holder in regularly contested events, told BBC Sport.
Perhaps that plays down his own achievement. Only seven other men in history have surpassed the 18m mark.
But, if you subscribe to the view that records are there to be broken, then why is this one still standing?