The 2024 Olympic track and field events are just around the corner, with some of the fastest runners in the world gearing up to compete. Athletes like Noah Lyles from the USA, Kishane Thompson from Jamaica, and Letsile Tebogo from Botswana are all set to showcase their speed in the men’s 100m event. On the women’s side, we have Sha’Carri Richardson representing the USA and Julien Alfred from Saint Lucia ready to go head-to-head.
When we look at the current world records for the 100m sprint, we see that Florence Griffith Joyner holds the record for women with a time of 10.49 seconds set back in 1988. On the men’s side, Usain Bolt still holds the record with an astounding time of 9.58 seconds set in 2009. These records have stood the test of time, but how do they compare to some of the other fastest sprinters in history?
Let’s imagine a race where each athlete runs their record-setting time or personal best. In the men’s race, we have iconic runners like Donald Lippincott, Jesse Owens, Jim Hines, Usain Bolt, and Australia’s fastest man, Rohan Browning. Each athlete’s time is displayed, showcasing the incredible speed they have achieved.
Moving on to the women’s race, we see athletes like Marie Mejzlíková, Renate Meissner, Florence Griffith Joyner, Elaine Thompson-Herah, and Australia’s fastest woman, Torrie Lewis. These women have all made their mark in the world of sprinting, and their times are truly remarkable.
One question that often comes up is whether sprinters are reaching a limit in terms of how fast they can run the 100m. A chart displaying the progression of world records over time gives us some insight into this topic. It will be interesting to see if and when records set by Griffith Joyner and Bolt will be broken, and how advancements in training and technology will continue to push the boundaries of human performance.
To put things into perspective, a bonus chart compares the times of these superstar sprinters to that of an average person running the 100m. The average person is said to complete the 100m in around 16 seconds, highlighting the incredible speed and athleticism of these world-class athletes.
For those interested in even more comparisons, there is an interactive graphic available that allows you to pit Usain Bolt against a cheetah, showcasing just how impressive these athletes’ speeds are in comparison to other fast-moving creatures. As we gear up for the excitement of the 2024 Olympics, we can’t wait to see these incredible athletes in action and witness the limits of human speed being pushed to new heights.