Benchmark

Nowadays the term "benchmark" will usually be in some business comparison for people or products with the benchmark being some standard to measure against.  It was originally a term from surveying and the most common benchmarks you see are like this one, an Ordnance Survey cut mark, usually in stone.  This one is cut into Libberton Church.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benchmark_(surveying)
I suppose we will be inundated by sporting benchmarks in the next few weeks.