Running times? Are they confusing Turing with Roger Bannister, the guy who first broke the four minute mile? Track surfaces, shoes, nutrition and training methods were quite different then. Someone gave a Ted Talk in which they factored out all the technological advantages that modern sprinters have over Jesse Owens, and Owens comes in at 0.1 seconds beyond Usain Bolt in one of Bolt's Olympic 100 meter races. Which means that there great athletes in the past who would be very competitive today. Wilt Chamberlain in basketball being another example.