The past few weeks have delivered an unprecedented wave of historic runs. Whether it be Yared Nuguse’s world record at the Millrose Games that was broken merely 5 days later by Norwegian runner Jakob Ingebrigtsen in Lievin, France, or Grant Fisher‘s phenomenal performance at the Valentine Invitational where the American runner broke the record of Ethiopian legend, Kenenisa Bekele. Ugandan distance legend Jacob Kiplimo is the most recent addition to this list. Kiplimo set a new record at the Barcelona Half Marathon on Feb 16 and improved Yomif Kejelcha’s previous record by 48 seconds- the greatest single improvement in men’s half marathon records. The accolades of these athletes are never-ending!

The American runner Grant Fisher became the first U.S. athlete to win bronze medals in the 5000m and 10,000m races in the Paris Olympics. The 27-year-old is the rightful successor to Galen Rupp, the American long-distance runner who secured silver in the 10,000m event in London 2012 and bronze in the marathon in Rio 2016. While we are on the topic of distance runners changing the game, we have to mention the Norwegian middle and long-distance runner, Jakob Ingebrigtsen. The 24-year-old won gold in the 1,500m event in the Tokyo Olympics and repeated his phenomenal performance to snatch another gold medal in the 5000m event in Paris last year. While their feats have left fans and experts alike in awe, not everyone is convinced.

A tweet by World Athletics on X highlighted the succession of stellar performances. The caption read “9 days. 5 men. 7 world records.”    With both Fisher and Ingebrigtsen at the center of it. Fisher delivered a stunning performance at the 117th Millrose Games, defeating Olympic champion Cole Hocker in a thrilling 3,000m race. Clocking 7:22.91, Fisher not only secured victory but also set a new world record in the event by a second. He surpassed Lamecha Girma’s score of 7:23.81 set in 2023. What about Ingebrigtsen?

With the mentality of “I think if you’re not feeling like you can perform, you will not do it,” Jakob Ingebrigtsen’s dominance isn’t just about winning titles. He is consistently redefining his limits. His records speak for themselves. By the age of 11, he was already running 120 km a week. Talk about determination! In Liévin, he took his legacy even further, breaking not one but two world records in an indoor 1500 m event. Ingebrigtsen’s mile time of 3:45.14 wasn’t just a record. It also shattered Yared Nuguse’s 3:46.63 mark from the 2025 Millrose Games by more than a second.

The track and field world is left with a mix of admiration and skepticism about this.

Fans Raise eyebrows as world records are broken at pace

While the recent wave of record-breaking performances, it has also sparked a wave of questions among fans. Whether the sport is witnessing an extraordinary era of athleticism or if something there is more concerning. “World records being broken at this accelerated rate has never happened in the history of the sport,” one fan pointed out. Their questions do have a reason. Take Yared Nuguse’s indoor mile record, for example. He shattered the previous mark of 3:47.01, set by Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha in 2019, a record that stood strong for six years. Yet, in a matter of weeks, Jakob Ingebrigtsen erased Nuguse’s milestone. “Is no one gonna say, ‘Hold on a sec? We have world-class runners doing times the greatest in history—even recent history—would have thought impossible’? Credibility stretched.” There is growing unease surrounding the sudden surge in record times.

Critics have also singled out individual athletes. One comment wrote, “Two of them (Kiplimo and Fisher) are not clean.🤷❌” Another fan raised concerns specifically about Fisher’s performance, stating, “Grant Fisher needs to be questioned for his performance”. You don’t have this many WRs without compromising yourself.” On February 16, at the Barcelona Half Marathon, Jacob Kiplimo delivered a blistering performance, clocking 56:42 and shattering Kejelcha’s previous world record by an astonishing 48 seconds. While unproven, doubts are looming over some of the sport’s most impressive achievements. “Mic’d up so we can hear the absolute agony we all know they are feeling but can’t seem to express porque everyone always looks so dang smooth, especially Grant Fisher,” one fan observed, before adding, “Also, don’t invite athletes who’ve served suspensions for doping.” This reaction reflects frustration not only with the athletes’ performances but also with the sport’s history of doping violations.

Even Ingebrigtsen, praised for his machine-like consistency, has not been spared from speculation. “While people keep calling Jakob Ingebrigtsen a machine, at times I feel like asking if the guy is juiced up,” one fan remarked. It’s a sentiment that has followed many dominant athletes. Fans struggle to reconcile seemingly effortless performances with the grueling demands of the sport. What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments.