What Is Usain Bolt’s Top Recorded Speed?
No one has ever been recorded running 100 meters faster than Usain Bolt did on August 16, 2009. During the final of the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, Bolt posted a 9.58-second time. The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) states that between the 60-80 meter marks of that race, Bolt ran roughly 27.79 miles per hour, which is the highest recorded speed any human being has ever attained.
In 2009, Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt set the world record in the 100-meter sprint at 9.58 seconds. This means that Bolt’s speed during his world-record run was 10.44 meters per second. For those more familiar with automobiles and speed limits, his speed converts to 37.58 kilometers per hour or 23.35 miles per hour.
Even more astounding is the fact that Bolt started from a speed of zero and then had to accelerate, which indicates that his top speed was actually faster. In 2011, Belgian scientists used lasers to measure Bolt’s performance in different stages of a 100-meter race. They found that 67.13 meters into the race, Bolt reached a top speed of 43.99 kilometers per hour (27.33 miles per hour).
- At the 2009 IAAF World Championships, he set a jaw-dropping world record of 9.58 seconds, showcasing his maximum speed and earning him the moniker ‘… Bolt.’
- More interestingly, Usain Bolt’s top speed when he set the WR was 27.8 mph.
- With a top speed of 12.32 m/s (27.559 mph), it is the recorded fastest speed a human has ever run.
- Bolt holds the record for fastest running speed at 27.8 mph, and that record has been tough to top.
Comparing Usain Bolt’s Speed to Other Athletes
Usain Bolt is widely recognized for his remarkable speed, clocking an astounding top speed of 44.72 km/h (27.8 mph) during his 100m world record sprint in 2009. This peak speed epitomizes why Bolt stands in a league of his own as the fastest human of all time.
In comparison to other animals, Bolt’s speed does not match that of a cheetah, which can reach speeds of 70 mph. Meanwhile, an antelope can run at approximately 61 mph. Nonetheless, Bolt surpasses the speed of a galloping racehorse and his 9.58 second 100m sprint outpaces four-legged competition.
Furthermore, most experts believe that Bolt could have potentially run as fast as 46 km/h (28.6 mph). Hypothetical conditions, such as stiffer tailwinds, cooler temperatures, and even performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs), could have allowed Bolt to find an extra 1–2 km/h in reserve, possibly translating his speed into a time nearer 9.55 seconds.
Interestingly, other animals achieve impressive speeds too. For instance, a warthog can run around 30 mph, as can housecats, grizzly bears, rabbits, and white-tailed deer. Moreover, the roadrunner can run at 25 mph while also possessing the ability to fly.
An incredible simulation pits Bolt against an average human and a cheetah. Bolt, who has won eight Olympic Gold medals, remains the fastest man on earth over 100 metres, showcasing unparalleled results while competing in the sport.
Nonetheless, it is worth noting that Emperor penguins, although clumsy on land, can swim nearly as fast as Bolt’s peak speed. For example, Eamon Sullivan of Australia, the speediest-ever swimmer, and Gentoo penguins, who reach speeds of 22.3 mph, add another layer to the comparison of speeds.
Ultimately, Bolt’s records in the 100m and 200m events are over 0.2 seconds faster than anyone else in history, a margin equivalent to about 10 feet in a 100m race – which is simply staggering.
How Did Usain Bolt Achieve His Record Speeds?
Usain Bolt’s Record Speeds: An Analysis
Usain Bolt achieved the fastest split at all intervals during his races. This is impressive, particularly given his initial slow start. He led the race at 20m and continued to increase that lead consistently. For instance, his fastest interval (from 60m to 80m) was run at an average speed of 44.72 km/hour. The analysis reveals that he builds a lead at each interval: it’s 0.03 seconds per 20 meters for the first 40 meters, and then he progressively increases the gap throughout the race.
In comparing his performances, Bolt’s first 20m in Berlin was actually slower than his first 20m in Beijing. However, from that point onward, he accelerated. By 60m, he was ahead of his own Beijing time by 1/100th of a second, and his last 20m in Berlin was 0.07 seconds faster than in Beijing. This underscores that, despite a slow start, Bolt accelerated efficiently to dominate the race.
The difference in wind speed also contributed to his performance. In Beijing, the wind was at 0.0 m/s, while in Berlin, there was a 0.9 m/s tailwind. Adjusting for this wind effect would mean Bolt ran 9.62 seconds instead of 9.58 seconds in Berlin. Ultimately, this is slightly better than a possible 9.64 in Beijing, had he finished there.
Bolt’s stature at 6 feet 5 inches is significant for a sprinter. His large frame enables him to take fewer steps per race than his opponents, but this comes with the disadvantage of encountering more air resistance. Research indicates that less than eight percent of Bolt’s energy usage contributed to his motion during his world record-setting performance of 9.58 seconds in the 100 meters at the 2009 World Championships.
Data collected by the International Association of Athletics Federations, capturing Bolt’s position and speed every 0.1 seconds, was crucial for analysis. Researchers built a simplified model, assuming he ‘develops a constant horizontal force’ throughout the race. The findings showed that Bolt’s force peaked during the first second of the race and remained relatively consistent afterward. His speed peaked around 7 seconds into the race at over 27 mph. Researchers calculated a maximum power output of about 3.5 horsepower. Of Bolt’s total work during the race, which was 81.58 kilojoules, only 6.36 kilojoules were ‘used to achieve motion.’
Without the tailwind present in the Berlin race, Bolt’s time would have been a tenth of a second slower, at 9.68 seconds. Nevertheless, this time would still have beaten the 9.69-second world record he set at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Additionally, if the tailwind had reached the maximum speed allowable under which a record can be set (2.0 meters per second), Bolt could have achieved a world record time of 9.46 seconds, according to researchers.
While some may speculate about Bolt’s accomplishments, primarily due to his height combined with the ‘coordination and quickness of shorter sprinters,’ it cannot be denied that he had exceptional success at a young age.
His record, set in 2009 at the World Championships in Berlin by beating his previous best by 0.11 seconds, reflects the increasing difficulty in breaking such records in the future. This aspect only adds to the intrigue for physicists and enthusiasts alike, especially as we may be nearing the limits of human speed.
