The most unbreakable records in sports history

Witnessing athletes perform extraordinary feats is captivating. It inspires, amazes, and unites fans in celebration. Competing professionally in any sport demands exceptional physical and mental prowess, making record-breaking achievements even more remarkable.

While some sports records are frequently surpassed, others earn an "unbreakable" status due to rule changes, the unparalleled talent of their holders, or both.

Pinpointing a definitive list of unbreakable records is tough, as various sports organizations track different metrics. Still, fans have highlighted a few records that seem destined to stand the test of time.

Want to know more? Explore THIS THREAD for a list of records unlikely to be broken in our lifetimes.

LeBron James' Historic 40,000 Points

In March 2024, LeBron James became the first NBA player to amass 40,000 career points, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the league's all-time scoring leader. This milestone broke a nearly 40-year-old record. ESPN notes that Kevin Durant, the next-highest active scorer with 28,342 points, trails James by nearly 12,000 points. At just four years younger, Durant is unlikely to close the gap.

Boston Celtics' Eight Consecutive NBA Championships

Securing a single NBA championship is a formidable challenge. The Los Angeles Lakers, led by Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, managed three in a row. Yet, from 1959 to 1966, the Boston Celtics accomplished the extraordinary, clinching eight straight titles. With a roster of Hall of Famers, the legendary Bill Russell earned the NBA Most Valuable Player award five times.

see also: O'Sullivan loses session 8-0 as Zhao dazzles at Crucible

Lewis Hamilton's 105 Grand Prix wins

Lewis Hamilton holds the record for the most Formula 1 Grand Prix wins with 105, surpassing Michael Schumacher's 91 victories. He claimed the record in 2020 and has since extended his lead. In July 2024, he secured his 104th win at the British Grand Prix, ending a winless streak, and gained another victory after a teammate's disqualification. Hamilton also has the most wins at a single circuit.

Emmitt Smith's 18,355 Rushing Yards

In 2002, Dallas Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith surpassed Walter Payton's all-time rushing record of 16,726 yards. Smith played for another two and a half seasons, retiring in 2005 with 18,355 yards. His record remains formidable due to his unique skill and NFL shifts. Modern offenses prioritize passing over running backs, and matching Smith's longevity is rare.

Usain Bolt’s Historic 9.58-Second 100-Meter Dash

Usain Bolt, the undisputed fastest sprinter ever, shattered his own world record by running 100 meters in 9.58 seconds at the 2009 Berlin World Athletics Championships. This 15-year-old record remains unbroken, with only Tyson Gay and Yohann Blake ever running under 9.7 seconds (both at 9.69). Gay is retired, and Blake hasn’t run faster than 9.85 in over a decade.

see also: PSG confirms Ousmane Dembélé sidelined with a right thigh muscle strain.

Cal Ripken Jr.’s 2,632 Consecutive Games

In 1996, at age 38, Cal Ripken Jr. shattered the Major League Baseball consecutive games played record, eclipsing Sachio Kinugasa’s Japanese mark. Fans honored him with a 22-minute standing ovation. Ripken played every Baltimore Orioles game from 1982 to 1998, surpassing Lou Gehrig’s record by 501 games. In 2001, he played his 3,001st and final MLB game.

Wilt Chamberlain's 50.4 points per game in the 1961-62 season 

Wilt Chamberlain's legendary 100-point game for the Philadelphia Warriors remains unmatched, despite near misses by players like Kobe Bryant and Luka Doncic. His 50.4 points per game average that same season is equally untouchable. Scoring 50 points in a single game is still a rare feat, yet Chamberlain achieved it 45 times in one season, with 15 games at 60+ points and three at 70+ points. Without a major rule change, like a 4-point shot, this record is likely to stand forever.

Simone Biles' 23 Gold Medals

Gymnastics legend Simone Biles has cemented her place in the Sports Hall of Fame, notably for having a gymnastic move named after her. She holds an almost untouchable record of 23 World Championship gold medals, far surpassing retired gymnast Svetlana Khorkina, who has nine. No active female gymnast ha

 

Wayne Gretzky’s 2,857 career points

Wayne Gretzky’s NHL records appear nearly impossible to break. His 2,857 career points, 1,000 more than the runner-up, remain astonishing. To match this, a player would need to average 98 assists per year for 20 years—a threshold no one has reached in a single season since Gretzky.

Michael Phelps' 23 Olympic gold medals

Michael Phelps owns the record for the most Olympic medals (28), gold medals (23), and individual golds in a single Games (8). His supremacy is unparalleled. Phelps’ gold medal count surpasses any other Olympian’s, and his total golds exceed the U.S. gold medals in multiple sports combined.

Rickey Henderson’s 1,406 career stolen bases

Rickey Henderson’s 1,406 stolen bases dwarf the next closest player, Lou Brock. Active leader Starling Marte has just 354. Even averaging 78 steals for 18 seasons wouldn’t surpass Henderson’s ma

Tiger Woods' 142 Consecutive Cuts

From 1998 to 2005, Tiger Woods made the cut in 142 straight PGA Tour events, surpassing Byron Nelson’s record of 113. Woods also set records as the youngest Masters champion at 21 and, in 2000-2001, became the only golfer to hold all four major titles—the US Open, British Open, PGA Championship, and 2001 Masters—at the same time.

Cy Young’s 749 complete games

Baseball legend Cy Young, who pitched for five MLB teams from 1890 to 1911, set a record with 749 complete games. As modern baseball relies heavily on relief pitchers, complete games are now rare, cementing Young’s record as nearly untouchable. The closest active player, Adam Wainwright, has just 28 complete games.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s 905 career goals

Cristiano Ronaldo’s record-breaking tally is staggering. Per the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS), he’s the first man to reach 905 career goals in official matches, outpacing Lionel Messi (840 goals) and Pelé (762 goals). He leads UEFA club competitions with 145 goals, surpassing Messi’s 132 and Lewandowski’s 104. In UEFA Champions League scoring, Ronaldo’s 140 goals put him 11 ahead of Messi and 46 ahead of third-placed Lewandowski.

Jerry Rice's 22,895 receiving yards

Widely considered the NFL's greatest wide receiver and one of its top players ever, Jerry Rice owns multiple receiving records, including career touchdowns (208) and receiving yards (22,895). His extraordinary durability and the NFL's evolving style keep his records seemingly out of reach.

UConn Huskies' 111-game winning streak

The UConn Huskies, under Hall of Fame coach Geno Auriemma in his 33rd season, hold the record for the longest winning streak in women's college basketball history with 111 games from November 2014 to March 2017. UConn also owns the second-longest streak at 90 games, making it improbable for any team to challenge their record.

Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak

One of baseball's most iconic records, DiMaggio’s streak appears more attainable than it truly is. Only Pete Rose, the all-time hits leader, has come close, with a 44-game streak in the 1970s.

Rafael Nadal’s 14 French Open titles

Since capturing his first Roland Garros title in 2005, Rafael Nadal has ruled the French Open. Of his 22 Grand Slam victories, 14 have been on the clay courts of Paris, earning him the title "King of Clay." This surpasses any other player’s record at a single major, with Novak Djokovic’s 10 Australian Open titles as the next highest.

Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s 50-0 professional record

Floyd Mayweather retired undefeated at 50-0, maintaining a perfect professional boxing career from 1996 to 2017. He claimed 12 major world titles across five weight classes. However, his amateur record was less pristine, with eight losses in 92 fights (84-8) and a controversial semi-final defeat to Serafim Todorov at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

Aladar Gerevich's six consecutive gold medals

Hungarian fencer Aladar Gerevich secured six straight Olympic gold medals in sabre team events, a record unmatched by any athlete, even Michael Phelps with his 23 Olympic golds. It’s improbable that anyone will surpass Gerevich’s streak anytime soon.

Jorge Masvidal's 5-second knockout

In 2019, Jorge Masvidal delivered the fastest knockout in UFC history, defeating Ben Askren in five seconds at UFC 239. Masvidal’s flying knee caught Askren by surprise, instantly knocking him out, surpassing Duane Ludwig’s 2006 six-second record.

Tom Brady's 98 touchdowns to different receivers

Tom Brady's record of throwing touchdown passes to 98 different receivers stands out among his many achievements. Drew Brees, the next closest, reached 73 receivers. With wide receiver rosters constantly shifting, this record appears nearly untouchable.

Martin Brodeur’s 691 wins

Martin Brodeur dominates goaltending records with 691 wins, 125 shutouts, 1,266 games played, and 74,439 minutes. His 691 wins stand as an NHL record, nearly untouchable due to modern hockey’s reduced goalie workloads and emphasis on specialized roles.

Joey Chestnut’s 76 hot dogs eaten

Debate persists over whether competitive eating qualifies as a sport, but Major League Eating and its fans staunchly defend it. Joey Chestnut reigns supreme in this arena, clinching the "Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest" 15 times. His record of devouring 76 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes secured the "Mustard Yellow Belt" for the U.S. Chestnut also holds world records across various foods, including eggs, chicken wings, and ice-cream sandwiches.

 

Richard Petty’s 200 NASCAR victories

Richard Petty is regarded as one of NASCAR’s all-time greats. He ruled the track, securing 200 wins, including seven Daytona 500 triumphs. His peak came in 1967, with an unmatched 27 victories in a single season. For context, Kyle Busch, today’s top active driver, has 63 wins.

 

Isner vs. Mahut's longest Wimbledon match

The 2010 Wimbledon clash between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut holds the record as the longest tennis match ever, spanning 11 hours and five minutes. Stretching to a fifth set, it was paused due to darkness and resumed the next day. Isner clinched victory in the 70th game of the fifth set. This epic battle prompted Wimbledon to revise its tiebreaker rules to avoid such marathon matches in the future.

Caitlin Clark’s all-time NCAA score

Caitlin Clark, a senior guard at Iowa, shattered the NCAA all-time scoring record, eclipsing LSU icon "Pistol Pete" Maravich’s mark. On March 3, 2024, Clark’s 35-point performance pushed her career total to 3,685 points, breaking Maravich’s 54-year record. At 22, she stands as the top scorer in NCAA Division I history, male or female, with her tally still growing.

Nolan Ryan’s seven no-hitters 

 Iconic pitcher Nolan Ryan boasts a record seven no-hitters, the most in MLB history. The Hall of Famer threw his final no-hitter in 2001 at age 44, becoming the oldest to do so. Nicknamed “The Ryan Express,” Ryan’s dominance shone through his career, also setting records for strikeouts and complete games.

Serena Williams’ 23 singles titles

Serena Williams, a tennis legend, is widely regarded as one of the sport’s all-time greats. Retiring at 40, she holds the Open Era record for the most Grand Slam women’s singles titles with 23. She’s also the only woman to win over 65 matches at each of the four Slams.