Does the use of technology make new world records less impressive than those of the past?

At the 2022 Winter Games, athletes broke multiple records with their training and effort, not just technology. This raises an important question: does the use of technology make new world records less impressive than those of the past?

I think technology does not make new world records less impressive than those of the past, for several reasons:

The first reason that supports my opinion is that even with better and advanced equipment, athletes still need incredible skills, strength, and mental resilience. For example, in Beijing 2022, snowboarder Chloe Kim landed extremely difficult tricks and became the first woman to win two gold medals in the halfpipe. So technology could not execute those tricks for her: it only supported her preparation.

Secondly, competitions have always depended on innovation. Athletes in the past used the best technology available at the time. For example, the introduction of clap skates in the 1990s revolutionized sport and led to many new records, but all competitors had access to the same equipment and conditions. In addition, in swimming, swimsuits were improved before being restricted in 2010 to ensure fairness. Therefore, both the Olympic and Paralympic Games have always evolved their rules to balance technology and competition.

The last reason is that global competition is stronger than ever, and athletes now compete against thousands of highly trained competitors from many countries. For example, swimmer Michael Phelps won twenty three gold medals after many years of hard training, discipline, determination, and mental strength. Although he used modern training facilities, his success depended mainly on human effort.

One person who disagrees with my opinion might think that modern athletes have an unfair advantage because of better equipment, advanced training technology, and scientific support. They may believe that breaking records nowadays is easier than in the past.

However, I think my argument is stronger because technology is available to all competitors and it only helps them perform at their best and highest level. Even with advanced tools, they must train for years and face intense competition to succeed, because it does not replace their talent, effort or resilience.

To conclude, technology improves many aspects of competition, but it cannot replace courage, dedication and talent. In addition, global competition is stronger than ever, which makes breaking records more challenging. For these reasons, today’s world records are just as impressive as those of the past.