Learn Spanish (Spain): La atleta está a punto de superar el récord. - The athlete is about to break the record.

This phrase translates to "to be about to" do something. It is formed by using the verb estar (conjugated to match the subject, which is está here for the athlete), followed by a punto de, and then an infinitive verb. In this case, the infinitive is superar (to break or surpass).

Why is superar used here instead of a word that literally means "to break", like romper?

In English, you "break" a record, but in Spanish, you do not use verbs for physical breaking like romper for this context. Instead, you surpass, overcome, or beat it. The most common verbs used with el récord are superar (to surpass) and batir (to beat).

Why is it la atleta? Does the word change if it is a male athlete?

Atleta is an invariable noun, meaning the word itself always ends in -a regardless of who it describes. You indicate the person's gender by changing the article: el atleta for a male athlete, and la atleta for a female athlete. Here, the article la tells us the athlete is a woman.

Why does the word récord have a written accent mark?