Brian Lara's 400 not out in Test cricket, Frankie Dettori's seven wins from seven rides at Ascot in 1996, Michael Phelps' 22 Olympic medals - including eight golds in a singles Games, Sir Bradley Wiggins becoming the first British winner of the Tour de France.
These great, and unprecedented, sporting achievements of recent decades can be augmented by the Welsh rugby union team winning a historic third successive outright Six Nations title.
No country has ever won the championship outright three years in a row since its inception in 1883. France were the last nation to have their name engraved on the trophy more than two years running, but two of their four Five Nations titles between 1986 and 1989 were shared.
Wales retained the Six Nations title last year for the first time since 1979, and equalled England's record haul of 26 Championship victories. Unable to break their southern hemisphere hex in the autumn, they have now reset their sights on European domination
"Within the group there is real motivation to make it three titles in a row and make history," admits Sam Warburton. "That's our only focus now."
This weekend marks six years since Warren Gatland's first game in charge of Wales. He claimed in the autumn that the current squad is the best of his tenure, boasting an array of world-class performers.
That may be true, but this is predicted to be an open championship. Wales have three home games, but they must visit Ireland and England. They will have to make history the hard way.
Furthermore, Wales go into the Six Nations against a back-drop of political unrest between the Welsh Rugby Union and the country's professional regions over the best way forward in terms of competition structures, revenues and keeping the best talent at home. None of the regional sides were good enough to secure quarter-final places in Europe this season.
Nonetheless, Saturday's Six Nations opener ought to provide a straightforward start to Wales' quest.
No matter that last year was statistically Italy's best ever Six Nations. They are obliging travellers, suffering 15 straight away defeats in the championship, and by an average of 22 points. Thirty-five Six Nations trips have brought just a solitary victory, at Murrayfield in 2007.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
Wales have won 17 of the 20 meetings, including the last six.
Italy have won twice, both in Rome (2003 and 2007), and drew 18-18 at the Millennium Stadium in March 2006 - their first ever Six Nations point away from home.
Wales' 47-8 victory in 2008 is their record margin of victory in a Five/Six Nations match.
Wales
Wales have won only one of their last four opening Six Nations matches, and five of 14 in total.
They have conceded nine or fewer points in five of their last seven Six Nations matches.
Warren Gatland's side were the only major northern hemisphere team apart from England to win more games than they lost last year (W7, L4).
Nine of the selected XV for Saturday started the victorious final Test of the Lions tour of Australia last summer.
Wales had a goal kicking success rate of 84% in 2013, the best record among the Six Nations teams.
Italy
Italy made a winning start to a Six Nations campaign for the first time last year, beating France 23-18.
They have lost 33 of their 35 Six Nations away fixtures, including the last 15. Their only win was 37-17 at Murrayfield in 2007.
Italy boasted the best lineout throw success rate of any of the Six Nations representatives in 2013 (87%).
Marco Bortolami will become the fifth Italian and the 29th player overall to reach 100 Test caps.
TEAM NEWS & LINE-UPS
Ospreys lock Alun Wyn Jones will captain Wales, with Sam Warburton beginning his comeback after two months out with a shoulder injury on the replacements' bench.
Dan Lydiate starts following the birth of his first child, Lucy, on Tuesday, while Rhys Priestland has edged out Dan Biggar for fly-half duties.
Treviso winger Angelo Esposito will make his international debut in a callow Italy backline.
With a lengthy injury list forcing his hand, coach Jacques Brunel has also given starts to centre Michele Campagnaro, winger Leonardo Sarto, fly-half Tommy Allan and scrum-half Edoardo Gori at the Millennium Stadium.
Wales: 15-Leigh Halfpenny, 14-Alex Cuthbert, 13-Scott Williams, 12-Jamie Roberts, 11-George North, 10-Rhys Priestland, 9-Mike Phillips; 1-Paul James, 2-Richard Hibbard, 3-Adam Jones, 4-Luke Charteris, 5-Alun Wyn Jones (capt), 6-Dan Lydiate, 7-Justin Tipuric, 8-Toby Faletau.
Replacements : 16-Ken Owens, 17-Ryan Bevington, 18-Rhodri Jones, 19-Andrew Coombs, 20-Sam Warburton, 21-Rhys Webb, 22-James Hook, 23-Liam Williams
Italy: 15-Luke McLean, 14-Angelo Esposito, 13-Michele Campagnaro, 12-Alberto Sgarbi, 11-Leonardo Sarto, 10-Tommaso Allan, 9-Edoardo Gori; 1-Michele Rizzo, 2-Leonardo Ghiraldini, 3-Martin Castrogiovanni, 4-Quintin Geldenhuys, 5-Marco Bortolami, 6-Alessandro Zanni, 7-Mauro Bergamasco, 8-Sergio Parisse (capt).
Replacements :16-Davide Giazzon, 17-Alberto De Marchi, 18-Lorenzo Cittadini, 19-Joshua Furno, 20-Francesco Minto, 21-Tobias Botes, 22-Luciano Orquera, 23-Tommaso Iannon
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