2021 in sports

• In mountain running, the Gansu ultramarathon disaster in the Yellow River Stone Forest, China led 21 runners to die from hypothermia. The poor organization of this government-run race led to a national outcry on the regulations of the sport.[1]
• In sprinting, during the Olympics, Krystsina Tsimanouskaya criticised her Belarusian coaches for entering her in the 4 × 400 m relay, a distance she had never contested, without her consent, after others missed doping tests and were disqualified.[2] Her coaches forced her to fly back to Belarus. She entered the Polish embassy in Tokyo and was granted a humanitarian visa.[3][4] The International Olympic Committee revoked the accreditation of her coaches and expelled them from the Olympic Village.[5]

In chronological order

• 17 May: In swimming, Russian Kliment Kolesnikov broke the 50 metre backstroke world record at the 2020 European Aquatics Championships with a time of 23.93.[6][7][8]
• 18 May: In swimming, Russian Kliment Kolesnikov broke the 50 metre backstroke world record at the 2020 European Aquatics Championships with a time of 23.80.[9][10][11]
• 22 May: In swimming, Italian Benedetta Pilato broke the women's 50 metre breaststroke world record at the 2020 European Aquatics Championships with a time of 29.30.[12][13][14]
• 13 June: In swimming, Australian Kaylee McKeown broke the women's 100 metre backstroke world record at the 2021 Australian Swimming Trials with a time of 57.45.[15][16]
• 18 June: In athletics, American Ryan Crouser broke the shot put world record at the 2020 United States Olympic Trials (track and field) with a distance of 23.37 metres.[17][18]
• 25 July: In swimming, Team Australia, consisting of Bronte Campbell, Meg Harris, Emma McKeon, and Cate Campbell broke the women's 4x100 metre freestyle relay world record at the 2020 Summer Olympics with a time of 3:29.69.[19][20]
• 29 July: In swimming, Team China, consisting of Yang Junxuan, Tang Muhan, Zhang Yufei, and Li Bingjie broke the women's 4x200 metre freestyle relay world record at the 2020 Summer Olympics with a time of 7:40.33.[21][22]
• 30 July: In swimming, South African Tatjana Schoenmaker broke the women's 200 metre breaststroke world record at the 2020 Summer Olympics with a time of 2:18.95.[23][24]
• 31 July: In swimming, American Caeleb Dressel broke the 100 metre butterfly world record at the 2020 Summer Olympics with a time of 49.45.[25][26]
• 31 July: In swimming, Team Great Britain, consisting of Kathleen Dawson, Adam Peaty, James Guy, and Anna Hopkin broke the mixed 4x100 metre medley relay world record at the 2020 Summer Olympics with a time of 3:37.58.[27][28]
• 1 August: In swimming, Team USA, consisting of Ryan Murphy, Michael Andrew, Caeleb Dressel, and Zach Apple broke the 4x100 metre medley relay world record at the 2020 Summer Olympics with a time of 3:26.78.[29][30]
• 1 August: In athletics, Venezuelan Yulimar Rojas broke the women's triple jump world record at the 2020 Summer Olympics with a distance of 15.67 metres.[31]
• 3 August: In athletics, Norwegian Karsten Warholm broke the 400 metres hurdles world record at the 2020 Summer Olympics with a time of 45.94.[32][33]
• 4 August: In athletics, American Sydney McLaughlin broke the women's 400 metres hurdles world record at the 2020 Summer Olympics with a time of 51.46.[34][35]
• 29 August: In swimming, American Coleman Stewart broke the short course 100 metre backstroke world record at the 2021 International Swimming League with a time of 48.33.[36][37]
• 29 October: In swimming, Australian Kyle Chalmers broke the short course 100 metre freestyle world record at the 2021 FINA Swimming World Cup with a time of 44.84.[38][39][40]
• 3 November: In swimming, Team Italy, consisting of Michele Lamberti, Nicolo Martinenghi, Marco Orsi, and Lorenzo Zazzeri broke the short course 4x50 metre medley relay world record at the 2021 European Short Course Swimming Championships with a time of 1:30.14.[41][42]
• 6 November: In swimming, Hungarian Szebasztián Szabó tied the short course 50 metre butterfly world record at the 2021 European Short Course Swimming Championships with a time of 21.75.[43][44]
• 7 November: In swimming, Belarusian Ilya Shymanovich tied the short course 50 metre breastroke world record at the 2021 European Short Course Swimming Championships with a time of 25.25.[45][46]
• 7 November: In swimming, Team Netherlands, consisting of Kira Toussaint, Arno Kamminga, Maaike de Waard, and Thom de Boer broke the short course 4x50 metre mixed medley relay world record at the 2021 European Short Course Swimming Championships with a time of 1:36.18.[47][48]
• 19 November: In swimming, Belarusian Ilya Shymanovich broke the short course 100 metre breaststroke world record at the 2021 International Swimming League with a time of 55.32.[49][50]