Wikipedia:Today's featured list/August 6, 2012
Olympic records in athletics have been recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) every four years at the modern Summer Olympic Games since the first Games in 1896. The athletics events, which take place at each Games, are divided into four groups: track events, field events, road events (such as walks and the marathon) and combined events (the heptathlon and the decathlon). Olympic records for each event have existed since the first Games, although some were later rescinded by the IOC. In 1988, Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson broke the Olympic and world record in the 100 metres, but he was subsequently disqualified after it was discovered that he had used anabolic steroids to enhance his performance. His record was expunged and the gold medal was instead awarded to American Carl Lewis. Usain Bolt (pictured) holds the current Olympic record in the 100 metres, set at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. The longest-standing modern Olympic athletics record is Bob Beamon's achievement in the men's long jump at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, which also stood as the world record for 23 years until Beamon's compatriot, Mike Powell, jumped farther at the 1991 World Championships in Athletics in Tokyo. (Full list...)