Break the record

[ROBINDESBOIS]

Do we say to break the record in a competition?

[Perikles]

Do we say to break the record in a competition?Possibly, depending on context. If you win a competition, you don't necessarily break the record.

If you win a 100 m race with a time of 10.1 seconds, then you win the race.

If the fastest time for that race is 10.2 seconds, then you break the record.
If the fastest time ever was 10.0 seconds, then you haven't broken the record.