Latest news with #worldrecords
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Felix Baumgartner death details: What to know about paragliding accident that killed daredevil who 'jumped from space'
Famous skydiver and daredevil Felix Baumgartner died suddenly on Thursday in an accident while on vacation in Italy. The 56-year-old became famous over a decade ago when he broke world records as he jumped from space down to earth. He became one of the most famous skydivers in the world as a result and broke over a dozen world records over the course of his life and career. Here's more on Baumgartner's death and his famous skydiving stunt. 📲 Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp How did Felix Baumgartner die? On Thursday, Baungertner died in a paragliding accident on the eastern coast of Italy, officials confirmed. He was 56 years old. Felix Baumgartner paragliding accident details According to officials, Baungartner was paragliding in Porto Sant'Elpidio when he lost control of his motorized paraglider and crashed into the side of a hotel swimming pool. According to The Washington Post, the mayor's office believes that Baumgartner suffered a "medical issue" during the accident. Who was Felix Baumgartner? Felix Baumgartner was an Austrian skydiver and daredevil who famously broke the sound barrier with his body in 2012. Nicknamed "Fearless Felix," Baumgartner was sponsored by Red Bull and performed many stunts over the course of his life. Baumgartner became a skydiver at 16 years old, but he joined the Austrian military as a parachutist before performing stunts in the late 90s. Overall, Baumgartner broke 14 records in his life and won several awards for his feats. "Felix has made 14 world records with his BASE jumps all over the planet, being a pioneer who has opened the path for all the skydivers around the world, for whom he is a great inspiration," the bio on Baumgartner's website read. Felix Baumgartner family Baumgartner was born in Salzburg, Austria to Eva and Felix Baumgartner. He had just one sibling, a brother named Gerard, who went on to become a chef. While Baumgartner never married, he had been with Romanian TV host Mihaela Radulescu for a long time. Felix Baumgartner jump from space In 2012, Baumgartner broke a world record when he successfully skydived from 24 miles above the ground. Baumgartner wore a pressurized suit and jumped from a capsule above Earth that was being held in space by a giant helium balloon. Baumgartner reached 843.6 mph, or 1.25 times the speed of sound, as he descended to earth for a nine-minute stretch before landing in New Mexico. He became the first person to break the sound barrier using just his body, while breaking several skydiving records in the process. "When I was standing there on top of the world, you become so humble, you do not think about of breaking records anymore, you do not think of about gaining scientific data. The only thing you want is to come back alive," Baumgartner said after landing. Baumgartner's record was broken two years later, when Alan Eustace free-fell from the stratosphere. Felix Baumgartner video Baumgartner's record-breaking jump was live-streamed throughout, as viewers were able to watch the daredevil execute the attempt.
News.com.au
5 days ago
- Automotive
- News.com.au
$4.1m Rimac Nevera R breaks 24 world records in one go
A Rimac hypercar has smashed 24 world records, including going from 0 to 400km/h and then coming to a complete stop in just 25 seconds. The hair-raising Nevera R has been crowned the new 0-400-0 champion, breaking a slew of records in the process. In just 25.79 seconds, the electric supercar accelerated from standstill to 400km/h and back to a halt, beating the previous record by a full 2.04 seconds. Equipped with a breathtaking quad-motor all-electric powertrain, the Rimac has been labelled 'the fastest accelerating production car the world has ever seen.' Among the new benchmarks set by the electrifying ride is a jaw-dropping 0 to 60mph time of just 1.66 seconds. During its record-breaking run, the £1.8 million ($A3.4m) Nevera R hit a blistering top speed of 431.453km/h. Producing an astonishing 2,107 brake horsepower, the Nevera R soared to the top of the performance charts, according to Luxury Auto News. The dramatic improvement is thanks to a re-engineering of several major components. A fixed rear wing and enlarged diffuser generate greater downforce while enhancing aerodynamic efficiency. Meanwhile, Michelin Cup 2 tires reduce understeer and boost lateral grip. These upgrades work in concert with a next-generation All-Wheel Torque Vectoring system, designed to maximise traction and handling precision. 'When we first introduced Nevera, it almost seemed like the pinnacle of hypercar performance had been reached. In a single generation, we had created a performance jump that previously would have taken decades,' Mate Rimac, founder and president of the Rimac Group said. 'But now, through relentless innovation, Nevera R goes even faster, while still maintaining much of the comfort and practicality that makes the Nevera a real, usable daily car,' he added. 'Breaking records is in our DNA, and we won't stop here.' The Nevera R smashed its own 2023 records, securing its spot at the very top of the EV leaderboard. The original Nevera already held several elite titles, including the production EV top speed record of 412 km/h, a Goodwood Festival of Speed hill climb record of 49.32 seconds, and the electric production car lap record at the Nürburgring Nordschleife at 7:05.298. Now, there's even more opportunity for the Nevera R to go after what few records remain. Limited to just 40 units worldwide with a starting price of €2.3 million ($A4.1m), each Nevera R now carries the distinction of being part of the most comprehensively record-breaking hypercar ever created. The Rimac Nevera R doesn't just edge out the original Nevera — it leaps ahead, according to CarBuzz. The performance gap is clear across nearly every metric. The R version cut 1.61 seconds off the 0–200mph time, coming in at 9.25 seconds. It also hit 0–400 km/h (249mph) in 17.35 seconds, nearly four seconds quicker than the standard model. In the 0–250–0mph test, the Nevera R was over five seconds faster, highlighting massive gains in both acceleration and braking. It also improved the standing mile time to 19.71 seconds, shaving off almost a full second. The quarter-mile came in at 7.90 seconds, beating even the drag-ready Dodge Demon 170, and without special tires. Top speed rose from 412km/h to 431km/h, and it accelerated from 200–300km/h in just 3.89 seconds. Each upgrade shows Rimac's engineering wasn't just refined, it was reimagined.
CBC
6 days ago
- Sport
- CBC
Even with her iconic performances, swim coach says Summer McIntosh is only getting started
Social Sharing Canadian swimming star Summer McIntosh has already had her name etched into the history books for her record-smashing swims and a trio of Olympic gold medals from Paris 2024, but her coach Fred Vergnoux believes she still has more to give. "When we talk with Summer, we don't talk about any limits. And that's something that I really enjoy with her. We have a very high level of expectation, we expect a lot more," Vergnoux said in an interview with CBC Sports host Brittany MacLean. McIntosh broke three world records under the guidance of Vergnoux at the Canadian trials in June, in the 400-metre freestyle, the 200m individual medley, as well as her own 400m IM record. Vergnoux, who has successfully coached athletes at the past five summer Olympics, is based in France and is currently training McIntosh ahead of the World Aquatics swimming championships in Singapore, when the first finals begin on Sunday, July 27. The two have been training together since January 2025. In the eyes of Vergnoux, it's McIntosh's consistency that sets her apart from others. "I think that's probably what makes the difference between her and the rest is that she never has a day off," he said. "She's just embracing every single session to become better and that's pretty unique. He adds that her age — 18 years old— lends itself well to her work ethic. "She's young, and she's also very innocent still, even though she's such a successful swimmer, she has that innocence as a late-old teenager," he said. "That's why she's so into what she does on a daily basis." More to come Vergnoux believes the winning will only continue, and more world records in two other events will fall: the 200m butterfly, an event she won at the Paris Olympics, and the much talked about 800m. "The three world records that she did, I think she can improve that," said Vergnoux. "And we seem to forget that she was 0.2 [seconds] off the 200-metre butterfly, which is for me the most difficult one to reach." But it's the 800m event where Vergnoux made his boldest prediction. That event has been owned by legendary swimmer Katie Ledecky since she captured gold at the 2012 London Games. Summer McIntosh's next world record, according to Coach Fred Vergnoux | The Ready Room 16 hours ago Fred Vergnoux was by her side when Summer McIntosh broke 3 world records in 5 days at Canadian swim trials, and so we had to ask him, "What record will Summer set next?," here's what he had to say. The 28-year-old star has followed that up with three more gold medals, including one in Paris. Proving she's still the queen of the event, Ledecky then broke her own world record at the TYR Pro Swim Series in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., touching the wall in eight minutes and 4.12 seconds back in May. Yet what has fans believing McIntosh, who will challenge Ledecky in the 800m in Singapore, can triumph is that the Toronto native beat her American rival at an event prior to the Paris Olympics. McIntosh swam in a national record time of 8:11.39, beating Ledecky's time of 8:17.12 – a nearly six second gap. Ledecky had not lost an 800m final for more than 13 years. "I think she's swam [the 800] four or five times," Vergnoux pointed out. "[McIntosh has] no experience in the 800 freestyle. I think Summer can go under eight minutes and be the first one to the break long course [world record], no question." In an interview with CBC Sports' Devin Heroux, McIntosh says Vergnoux has pushed her to go faster than she ever thought possible. "He's done absolutely amazing with me," she said. "It's been awesome to know that he fully believes me. It's absolutely amazing. And I think that's such an important relationship to have, because I 100 per cent believe in him and as well, and that's so important to have the belief in each other." Summer McIntosh on what's next after record-breaking week at Canadian swim trials 1 month ago CBC Sports' Devin Heroux sat down with Summer McIntosh after she set three world records and five national records at the Canadian swim trials in Victoria, B.C. In the fall, McIntosh will move to Texas to train under world class coach Bob Bowman, who guided Michael Phelps to unprecedented success in the pool on his way to becoming most decorated Olympian of all-time. But before then, McIntosh is expected to compete in the 200m butterfly, 400m freestyle, 800m freestyle, and 200m and 400m IMs, at the swim worlds. "We should just enjoy watching Summer swimming. I think it's only the start for Summer McIntosh, to be honest. For three gold medals in Paris, I think that's the beginning of something amazing," Vergnoux said. "She's going to carry on writing the story of swimming."
New York Times
14-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Fauja Singh, Master Runner at an Advanced Age, Is Dead
In the space of four days in 2011, Fauja Singh, a native of India who lived in greater London and claimed to be 100 at the time, delivered the most stirring performances ever for a runner of his ascribed age. On Oct. 13 that year, at a meet in Toronto, he set eight world records for the 95-plus age group in events ranging from 100 meters to 5,000 meters, or 3.1 miles. Doug Smith, the co-chair of Ontario Masters Athletics, called it the 'most astonishing achievement' he had ever witnessed. 'He rested between the events by sitting down and having a few sips of tea,' Mr. Smith said in an interview for this obituary in 2017. 'He was actually running — both feet off the ground. He was amazing.' Three days after the track meet, Mr. Singh performed yet another rousing feat. He became the first reputed centenarian to complete a race of 26.2 miles by finishing the Toronto Waterfront Marathon in 8 hours 25 minutes 16 seconds. His actual running time was 8:11:05, but in the throng of runners, it took him 14 minutes to reach the start. There were two complications. Mr. Singh received assistance in crossing the finish line, statisticians said. More troubling, he had a passport but could not produce a birth certificate for race officials or Guinness World Records to verify the authenticity of his achievements. Mr. Singh died on Monday, his startling accomplishments of 2011 both celebrated and unconfirmed. He was hit by a car while on his daily walk in his home village of Beas Pind in the Punjab region of India and died in a hospital, his former coach, Harmander Singh (no relation), said in a phone interview from London. He had returned to India to live during the pandemic. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
The Independent
09-07-2025
- The Independent
British rowers smash Pacific record to raise £50,000 for brain tumour foundation
A team of British adventurers has broken two world records by rowing unsupported across the Pacific Ocean – raising thousands of pounds to help families affected by brain tumours. The five-man Ocean5 crew completed the 2,800-nautical mile journey from Monterey, California, to Hanalei in Kauai, Hawaii, in just 32 days, six hours and 51 minutes, shattering the previous record of 54 days. Their expedition also saw 66-year-old businessman and team member Kevin Gaskell become the oldest person to row across the Pacific, according to the organisers of the World's Toughest Row. He was joined by his son Matt, 33, adventurer Tom Higham, 37, martial arts champion and Amazon explorer Patrick Deacon, 40, and performance therapist Stephen Greenan, 40. The team, who trained in Lymington, Hampshire, survived on freeze-dried meals, protein snacks and 10 litres of water each per day, while enduring severe exhaustion, sleep deprivation, salt sores, sea sickness and towering waves. Their carbon-fibre boat, Lady Jane II, powered by solar panels, carried enough food for 55 days and was equipped with three rowing positions and two small cabins. Before setting off, Mr Gaskell – a former managing director of Porsche, BMW and Lamborghini – described the challenge as the toughest they had faced. He said: 'This will test our resilience to the limit – the boat will not stop and we'll each be rowing for two hours on, two hours off.' The mission has raised more than £50,000 for The Lewis Moody Foundation, which supports people living with brain tumours. The foundation was set up by the former England rugby captain in 2015 following a family friend's diagnosis.
