This is the first documented record of maximum speed in the history of human movement. This paper provides an in-depth study of the scientific challenges of quantifying human speed, utilizing literature and previously unpublished data. Top speed is a key parameter in sprinting and is closely related to race performance, yet it has rarely been studied in depth before. Over the years, research has focused on the starting phase analyzed through biomechanics and endurance speed studied through physiology. This focus stemmed from a belief that top speed was either virtually untrainable or difficult to measure accurately. However, in recent years it has become a focus of attention for coaches, media and fans.
As far back as 1877, Ed James noted in his Practical Training that “in sprinting, few men reach top speed in 40 yards.” However, it wasn’t until about 50 years later that people began to measure this elusive top speed more rigorously through flight running or race breakdowns, initially using manual or electric timing methods. Despite these efforts, obtaining official, undisputed race timings, let alone accurate measurements of top sprint speed, remained a major challenge throughout the 20th century.
The first record of human top speed is estimated to date back to 1886, reported by Étienne-Jules Marey in the Weekly Notices of Meetings of the Academy of Sciences. Marey observed that “the speed of travel increases indefinitely with the tempo, approaching the limit of 10 meters per second.” Subsequent recorded velocities typically mix biomechanical reports with less precise results (e.g., hand-timed segments), sometimes lacking precision. Despite these limitations, the data are included here in deference to their historical significance.
Charles Paddock (USA) – March 31, 1923, Berkeley
Paddock, the 1920 Olympic 100-meter champion, ran the 100 yards in 8.9 seconds (25 yards assisted), and he ran the 100 yards in 9:45, just 0.05 seconds short of breaking the world record at the time. He also won the 220-yard race in 21st 1/5th, a 10-yard lead.Other records from 1926 show that Paddock ran the 90 yards in a race in Pasadena in 8’4/5ths of a second, the 100 yards in 9’3/5ths of a second, and the race in 10’1/5ths of a second.Some of the timings, such as the 10-yard sprint in 0.6 seconds (the equivalent of 15.24 meters per second), are very questionable, especially given the accuracy limitations of manual timing (1/5th of a second). Therefore, the 20-yard dash took 1.7 seconds at 10.76 m/s, which seems more in line with Paddock’s sprinting ability.
Henry Russell (USA) – Ithaca, New York, Spring 1927
In the 200-yard race at Ithaca, Russell ran the 20 yards in 1.745 seconds, with a full time of 19.455 seconds. The timing device consisted of a coil of wire running parallel to the track, connected to a galvanometer, which generated a current when a thin steel magnet was passed over the athlete’s jersey and recorded it on a moving piece of photographic paper. The experiment was conducted at Cornell University’s Schelkopf Field as part of a series of lectures on chemistry by Dr. Archibald Vivian Hill (1922), the Nobel Prize winner in physiology or medicine. Russell’s personal bests included 9.7 seconds for the 100 yards (1926), 10.7 seconds for the 100 meters (1928), and 21.5 seconds for the 220 yards. He also won an Olympic gold medal, cementing his place in sprinting history. If you’d like to learn more about historical athletic achievements, read about them in Discover My Favorites, which is sure to inspire you.
The Zera speed test: record-setting sprints and breakthroughs
At the 1928 Olympics, a remarkable performance in the 100-meter semifinals left a lasting impression. Percy Williams (Canada), who eventually won the gold medal in the 100 meters, became the subject of an interesting experiment conducted by Dr. Charles Best. The test, conducted on an indoor track in Toronto, tested Williams’ speed in short spiked shoes. He ran a top speed of 10.44 m/s in the 65-yard race, including 5 yards in 0.438 seconds and 7.00 seconds.
Cyrus Leland (USA) – Fort Worth, May 20, 1930
Thanks to the use of electronic timing equipment, Leland ran an impressive 8.4 seconds on the 100-yard track. However, the 8.7-second time recorded by the standard stopwatch was slightly slower, but still a fairly significant improvement over Paddock’s previous world record.The 8.7-second time equated to a speed of 10.51 meters per second. According tothe Pampa Daily News (May 21, 1930), Leland, competing for Texas Christian University, not only ran the fastest 100-yard time of the year, but also ran a 9.4w on the same day. It’s worth noting that back in 1929, Leland ran a time equal to the world record at the TCU-Baylor meet, but the time was not officially recognized due to meet eligibility restrictions.
Ralph Metcalfe (USA) – 1932-33
Ralph Metcalfe’s performance running 100 meters after 70 meters was one of the fastest recorded by Professor Otto Misangi, the famous Hungarian and Swiss national coach, who was also the head timekeeper for the 1932 and 1936 Olympic Games. Unfortunately, there are no further details or references to this experiment. According to Misangyi’s Measurement of Reaction Time and Speed in Sprints and Hurdles (Margolingen, 1956), Metcalfe finished second in the 1932 Olympic 100-meter final behind Eddie Tolan, with a time of 10.3 seconds recorded by three separate watch timers. However, the official report gives a different figure: 21 seconds for the 10. “manual electronic” timing, and 10.38 seconds for the Kirby binocular camera (which filmed the race at 128 frames per second).
Jesse Owens (USA) – Columbus, April 23, 1935
Jesse Owens’ athletic prowess was not only evident in Olympic victories, such as his famous victory at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Prior to setting the famous world record at the 1936 Olympics, Owens ran the 100 yards in an astonishing 8.4 seconds after the start, as recorded by three stopwatches. Interestingly, the other three alternate stopwatches recorded a time of 9.3 seconds, suggesting there was potential to go even faster. Owens’ world record of 9.4 seconds stood for 13 years. However, if he had run 9.3 seconds, that time would have stood for 26 years, and the 9.2-second time would have held the world record for 28 years!
Owens’ stride length is also another factor in his speed. According to Coach Peyton Jordan’s book The Road to the Championship (1968), Owens could take six steps per second, each about 1.83 meters, a step of 36 feet. According to Jeffrey Dyson’s estimates in Track and Field Mechanics (1962), Owens could reach a top speed of 10.97 meters per second. This highlights Owens’ remarkable ability to maintain a steady and powerful pace in the 100 meter race.
Jesse Owens, 1936 Berlin Olympics
The pinnacle of Jesse Owens’ career came at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, when he not only won the 100 meters, but also set a new benchmark in sprinting. His victory was a testament to his world-class athleticism, cementing his place in history and further demonstrating his exceptional speed, which was unrivaled at the time.
Zera Track and Field Speed Data
Volikov (URS) – July 27, 1936, Kharkov
In the 100 meter race, he ran an electronically timed time of 0.36 seconds over a 4 meter interval between 44 and 48 meters in 11.15 seconds. The timing was accurate to 1/200th of a second because the yarn on the markers moved as the athlete ran past the markers, which were fixed to the track at 4-meter intervals. The experiment was conducted over the summer and included multiple sprinters and non-sprinters.Volikov’s 100-meter race was unique because his 4-meter interval speeds fluctuated wildly, with the following peaks and valleys: 9.2, 10.4, 9.3, 9.4, 10.6, 9.5, 11.1, and 9.9 meters per second. Simonson, the German researcher on the study, concluded that these changes represent strong athletic ability that is not sustained due to fatigue in the motor cortex or surrounding areas. Simonson ruled out measurement error, noting that the peaks appeared inconsistent over the course of the race. Additionally, depending on the height of the device, whether or not the arm or leg crosses the timing yarn may affect the accuracy of the intervals. Another explanation is that sprinters decelerate during the braking phase of each stride and accelerate during the pushing phase, which was later confirmed by tachymeter data and modern laser technology.
Source: Simonson E., Laboratory of Physiology, National Academy of Physical Education of Ukraine, 1937.
Harold Davis (USA) – Compton, June 6, 1941
His coach “Bud” Winter recorded a time of 4.5 seconds for the last 50 meters and 10.2 seconds for the entire 100 meters. The official time for the 100 meters was 10.3 seconds, but the next day it was revealed that Davis had actually equaled Owens’ world record of 10.2 seconds. Three timekeepers recorded times of 10.2, 10.2 and 10.3 seconds, while the alternate timekeeper recorded a time of 10.4 seconds, which was not counted in the official time.
Sources: Quercetani R ., A World History of Athletics, 1864-1964, Oxford University Press, 1964; Associated Press, “Davis Sets World Sprint Record,” June 7, 1941
Vladimir Sukharev (URS) – Minsk, August 26, 1951
Sukharev ran a record of 10.4 seconds over 45 to 50 meters in the 100-meter race, which was recorded by cinematographic equipment and recorded every 5 meters. He maintained a speed of 11.11 m/s over 65 meters. The accuracy of the measurement was 0.02 seconds. In the summer of the same year, he ran different distances in training on the fly with the following timings: 30 meters in 2.7 seconds (11.11 m/s), 40 meters in 3.7 seconds (10.81 m/s), 50 meters in 4.6 seconds (10.87 m/s), 60 meters in 5.8 seconds (10.34 m/s) and 80 meters in 7.7 seconds (10.39 m/s).
Source: Chomenkov L ., 100 and 200 meter races, Moscow, 1955.
Dave Sim (USA) – Rome, September 1, 1960
Data based on Simon’s stride length of 2.48 meters and frequency of 4.6 Hz (wind speed: 0.0 m/s) in the second half of the 100 m Olympic final. The 1.89-meter-tall, 81-kilogram Sim trailed at the 25-meter mark, but ended up second in 10.35 seconds (official time 10.2 seconds), just 0.03 seconds behind Germany’s Armin Hare. The same week, the U.S. set a new 4×100-meter world record with a time of 39.4 seconds (39.60 FAT), with Sim’s final run clocked at 9.1 seconds (10.99 m/s), the fastest single time at the time, but the team was disqualified for handing over the baton too early.
Source: Hoffman K., Conference on Sports, Moscow, 1962.
Bob Hayes (USA) – Atlanta, May 12, 1962
At the SIAC Championships, he ran the 100 yards in 9.3 seconds, including the 50-75 yards in 1.9 seconds. Two years later , Sports Illustrated published the sectional times for the race: 0 seconds for 3.25 yards, 2.2 seconds for 25 yards to 50 yards (10.39 m/s), 1.9 seconds for 50 yards to 75 yards (12.04 m/s), and 2.1 seconds for the final 25 yards (10.89 m/s). These times added up to a total of 9.2 seconds, but the final race times were controversial: “It was unbelievable to the judges that the race times were 8.9 and 9.0 seconds, respectively.”
Bob Hayes: The Fastest Man on Earth?
Bob Hayes was a legendary American sprinter who constantly pushed the limits of human speed, but many of his astonishing performances were undone by technical problems, inaccurate timing, or inaccurate measurements.On June 26, 1962, in Modesto, Hayes clocked 7.8 seconds for the last 100 yards of the final lap of the 4×110-yard relay, achieving a top speed of 11.72 m/s. In April 1963, the World Sports Journal detailed this remarkable feat. In April 1963 , World Sports Magazine detailed this remarkable feat.
A year later, on May 25, 1963, Hayes ran 110 yards at 11.43 m/s, again running the final leg in a hand-timed time of 8.8 seconds. When he took the baton, he was reportedly 10 yards behind the leader, but managed to rally seven yards. However, the accuracy of this manual timing method remains uncertain. According to an interview with Hayes in the NCAA News (Volume 34, 1963), Hayes confirmed the manual timing of 8.8 seconds for 110 yards, which was attributed to his excellent start.
One of Hayes’ most iconic performances occurred on May 21, 1963 at the AAU Championships in St. Louis. In the 100-yard race, Hayes set a world record with a time of 9.4 seconds in a wind speed of +0.85 m/s. His hand-timed times were also amazing: 3.0 seconds for 25 yards, 6.0 seconds for 60 yards, and 7.1 seconds for 75 yards. Hayes’ speed between 60 and 75 yards was an astonishing 12.47 m/s, and 11.43 m/s in the final sprint. These amazing speeds – especially from 60 to 75 yards – were later included in the Guinness Book of World Records as the fastest speeds ever recorded by mankind.
At the Tokyo Olympics on October 21, 1964, in the final of the 4×100-meter relay, Hayes ran times ranging from 8.5 to 9.1 seconds on the final leg, and video shows him going between 10.99 m/s and 11.76 m/s. My video analysis based on Polish film and other screen timing data shows a time of 9.0 seconds for this event. Hayes took the baton about 0.15 seconds after Poland’s Dudziak, who ran 10.52 seconds in the individual race. Leading by 0.30 seconds, Hayes completed the sprint in the final 40 meters in an astonishing 3.40-3.45 seconds, with a stride of 2.40 meters and a peak speed of more than 11.7 meters per second.
Hayes made the breakthrough by becoming the first person to break the 10-second mark. At the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, he advanced to the semifinals in 9.91 seconds and the final in 10.00 or 10.01 seconds. Due to a small delay in the timing system, the official time was later adjusted to 10.05 or 10.06 seconds, a figure that was accepted in the late 1970s.
Tommy Smith: The Eternal Sprint
On May 7, 1966, U.S. track and field legend Tommy Smith displayed amazing speed in the 220-yard world record race in San Jose. Smith ran the last 20 yards of the 220-yard world record in 1.53 seconds (19.5 seconds, wind +1.84 m/s). Despite the lack of official electronic timing, Smith’s time was recognized as a world record. However, due to inconsistencies in the watch timings for the 200 meters and 220 yards – 19.4, 19.5, and 19.6 seconds, and 19.5, 19.5, and 19.6 seconds, respectively – 19.5 seconds was ultimately used as the timing for both distances.
Smith’s coach, Bud Winter, provided an astute analysis of his stride. At 120 yards, Smith’s stride was 8 feet 5 inches (2.57 meters), increasing to 8 feet 7 inches (2.62 meters) at 20 yards from the finish. His last three strides were 8 feet 9 inches (2.67 meters), further illustrating his remarkable sprinting skills.
Tommie Smith’s breathtaking 200 meter dash. Time magazine (Jetting into Gear, vol. 89, no. 10, p. 88, March 1967) quoted coach Bud Winter, who emphasized Smith’s extraordinary speed and revealed that he could sprint at a speed of up to 11.64 meters per second. Winter observed, “Other sprinters reach their top speed at 75 yards and then begin to slow down, but Tommy was still accelerating at 100 or 220 yards.” Smith’s ability to maintain 26 mph was the key to his dominance of the field.
On October 16, 1968, at the Mexico City Olympics, Tommy Smith won the final of the men’s 200 meters and John Carlos won the bronze medal. However, both athletes made headlines when they made the controversial Black Power salute on the podium, an iconic moment that is significant in both sports and civil rights history.
Meanwhile, Soviet runner Valeriy Borzov set another sprint speed record at the 1972 Munich Olympics. According to a timing analysis by East German scientist Heinrich Gundlach, Borzov ran two consecutive 9.14-meter intervals between 58.56 and 76.84 meters in 1.56 seconds. The error in that analysis was only ±0.02 seconds. Gundlach’s timing accuracy was verified by another expert, ensuring the accuracy of the data. Italian coach Carlo Vittori, who also analyzed Borzov’s race footage and conducted another study, determined that the sprinter achieved a speed of 11.484 m/s over a 9.44-meter section between 48.83 and 58.27 meters. However, the reliability of this data has been somewhat questioned due to possible video-related errors in measuring time and distance.
Earlier in 1972, during the Soviet Championships, Borzov ran at 11.68 m/s on the 45- to 50-meter track and 11.61 m/s on the 70- to 75-meter track. His 100-meter final time was 10.0 seconds, but according to the video timing, a more accurate value would have been 10.28 seconds, when the wind was less than 2.0 m/s. Professor Dmitry Ionov, who was in charge of analyzing the time, used a similar method to the one used to analyze Sukharev’s time in 1951, but with greater accuracy.
Fast forward to 1977, when American runner Steve Williams showed amazing sprinting prowess in Zurich. At the 70-meter mark of the 100-meter race, Williams’ stride data was captured with a 16-millimeter Locam camera at 100 frames per second and carefully analyzed. The time of the four steps was recorded as 0.83 seconds, with a speed of 11.97 meters per second. However, this calculation was skewed when the actual data was analyzed, suggesting that the true velocity was closer to 11.78 m/s. This analysis was part of a broader biomechanical study that looked at the performance of elite level sprinters. Despite the slight miscalculation of stride length or stride frequency, the study confirmed Williams’ incredible speed.
Williams continued to impress in 1973, reaching a speed of 11.63 m/s between 60 and 65 meters in 10.1 seconds in a 100-meter race in Minsk. Video timing showed a time of 10.21 seconds with a wind speed of less than 2.0 m/s. At this stage of the race, he had a stride length of 2.54 meters and a stride rate of 4.58 steps per second, further highlighting his sprinting ability.
These speed benchmarks not only demonstrate the strength of these sprinters, but also reflect the cutting-edge technology and scientific methods used to analyze and measure the performance of elite athletes.
Zera – Sprint Performance Analysis
In 1978, the U.S. Olympic Committee’s Development Committee conducted a study of 12 American sprinters whose personal best times ranged from 9.9 to 10.4 seconds. These sprinters participated in a detailed study of their physical and athletic characteristics. The identities of the fastest sprinters, known as “Track 2”, remain confidential because of confidentiality agreements that restrict the release of the athletes’ names. These sprinters had an average stride length of 2.52 meters and a stride frequency of 4.68 steps per second. Taking center of gravity displacement into account, the sprinters reached a speed of 11.73 meters per second.
Professor Anne Atwater, author of the study, pointed out that there was a significant performance difference between the two camps: the 1978 camp ran at an altitude of 1,800 meters and performed significantly faster than the 1979 camp. Atwater mentioned that the 1978 sprinters were more motivated and competed directly against two other athletes without having to run the full 100 meters. There was speculation about the effect of altitude on performance, but no conclusions were drawn about the effect of wind conditions.
Calvin Smith (USA) – Karl Marx City, July 9, 1982
Calvin Smith (USA) set the fastest time in the 10-meter interval with a time of 38.22 seconds in the 4×100-meter relay between the USA and the GDR. His fastest 30-meter time was 2.54 seconds, recorded by multiple cameras and digital timers synchronized with the official timing system. It was faster than the 100-meter time he ran earlier in the day, when he ran 9.91 seconds, faster than Jim Hines’ 9.95 seconds in 1968. In the 100-meter race, the wind measured 2.1 m/s, just over the world record limit. However, in the relays, the wind measured less than 2.0 m/s, according to East German reports.
Ben Johnson (CAN) and Carl Lewis (USA) – August 24, 1988, Seoul
In the final of the 1988 Seoul Olympics, Ben Johnson set a world record with a time of 9.79 seconds (although he was later disqualified for doping). Johnson’s 10-meter split was 0.83 seconds, while Carl Lewis’ final time was 9.92 seconds. These times were recorded by the Swiss timekeeping company and later published by Omega in its booklet Complete Results of the 1988 Seoul Athletics Meet. However, discrepancies arose between the official reports of Omega and the IAAF. The IAAF’s analysis relied on five cameras (50 fps) and high-speed cameras (200 fps) to provide more consistent and reliable data, as confirmed by today’s video analysis technology.
Table 1: 10-meter segments of the 100-meter dash from the 1988 Olympics
Athlete | Segment (IAAF report) | (Omega report) |
---|---|---|
Carl Lewis | 1.89, 2.96, 3.90, 4.79, 5.65, 6.48, 7.33, 8.18, 9.04, 9.92 | 1.97, 3.00, 3.89, 4.81, 5.65, 6.53, 7.37, 8.23, 9.06, 9.92 |
Ben Johnson. | 1.83, 2.87, 3.80 | – |
10-meter splits in the 100-meter final
Carl Lewis and Ben Johnson – 1987 World Championships (Rome)
At the 1987 World Championships in Rome, Carl Lewis and Ben Johnson both ran blistering speeds in the 100 meter final. According to the Fast results available at the time, both athletes had a 10 meter split of 12.04 m/s (wind +1.0 m/s). However, a scientific report released by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) later corrected the times. Their speeds were recalculated to 11.76 m/s after correcting their best 10-meter sectional times by 0.85 seconds.
Carl Lewis’ 10-meter sectional times
Fast results: 1.94, 2.97, 3.92, 4.77, 5.67, 6.50, 7.33, 8.23, 9.09, 9.93
1.94, 1.03, 0.93, 0.85, 0.90, 0.83, 0.83, 0.90, 0.86, 0.84
Scientific reports: 1.94, 2.96, 3.91, 4.78, 5.64, 6.50, 7.36, 8.22, 9.07, 9.93
1.94, 1.02, 0.95, 0.87, 0.86, 0.86, 0.86, 0.86, 0.86, 0.85, 0.86
Ben Johnson’s 10-meter segment results
Fast results: 1.86, 2.87, 3.80, 4.66, 5.55, 6.38, 7.21, 8.11, 8.98, 9.83
1.86, 1.01, 0.93, 0.86, 0.89, 0.83, 0.83, 0.90, 0.87, 0.85
Scientific reports: 1.84, 2.86, 3.80, 4.67, 5.53, 6.38, 7.23, 8.10, 8.96, 9.83
1.83, 1.02, 0.94, 0.87, 0.86, 0.85, 0.85, 0.87, 0.86, 0.87
Carl Lewis – 1991 World Championship (Tokyo)
At the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo, Carl Lewis once again ran the 10 meters at 12.04 m/s in the 100 meter final and won with a new world record. Cameras (60 fps) were placed at 10 meter intervals along the home straight, recording data with an error of +/- 0.02 seconds. The initial 0.83 second interval could be corrected to 0.84 seconds (11.90 m/s) as described in a preliminary report published in New Research in Athletics.
Carl Lewis’ 10-meter segmented results
Fast results: 1.88, 2.96, 3.88, 4.77, 5.61, 6.46, 7.30, 8.13, 9.00, 9.86
1.88, 1.08, 0.92, 0.89, 0.84, 0.85, 0.84, 0.83, 0.87, 0.86
In the quarterfinals of the 1991 World Championships, Carl Lewis clocked 0.80 seconds in the 10-meter run with a top speed of 12.50 m/s, which translates to a 100-meter time of 9.80 seconds. However, the wind speed during the race was 4.3 m/s.
Carl Lewis – 1984 Olympics (Los Angeles)
At the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Carl Lewis reportedly ran the last 2 meters of the 100 meter Olympic final at 28 mph (12.51 m/s), which he won in 9.99 seconds (with a wind speed of 0.2 m/s). The method of measurement, precision and accuracy are not known, but the data came from the Swiss Timing Company and was reported by Athletics News in the October 1984 issue.
Donovan Bailey – 1996 Atlanta Olympics
At the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Donovan Bailey reached a top speed of 12.01 m/s at the 50 meter mark of the 100 meter final and won the gold medal with a time of 9.84 seconds (wind + 0.7 m/s). The speed was measured by a 50 Hz laser device called the Laveg (Laser Velocity Protection) system, the first time the technology has been used in an international competition. The system captured the speed fluctuations in each stride, allowing Bailey’s stride cycle between 50 and 60 meters to be analyzed. The raw data was smoothed by a “factor of 7” to obtain an average velocity profile ranging between 11.2 and 12.7 meters per second. After further smoothing with a “49-fold factor” curve, the final reported velocity was 12.01 m/s over a distance of 59.8 meters.
For more information on how to improve performance and maximize your potential, check out our guide to maximizing your potential.
In a detailed analysis of Donovan Bailey’s performance at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, we gained important insights from a variety of sources.Laveg measurements show that Bailey reached his top speed of 12.01 m/s 5.95 seconds after the start and about 54.55 meters into the race. Significantly, the smoothed curve from these measurements shows a top speed of 11.90 m/s in his fastest interval.
The following table lists Bailey’s 10-meter segment times for the 100-meter dash:
10-meter segment times (seconds) |
---|
1.90 |
2.93 |
3.84 |
4.71 |
5.55 |
6.39 |
7.24 |
8.09 |
8.95 |
9.84 |
1.90 |
1.03 |
0.91 |
0.88 |
0.84 |
0.84 |
0.84 |
0.85 |
0.86 |
0.89 |
It should be noted that the cumulative times for these 10-meter intervals do not exactly match the intermediate times. This discrepancy occurs because the times were calculated and rounded based on average speeds using the Laveg software.
In addition, the accuracy of these times has been questioned, particularly at the 40-meter mark. Discrepancies have been noted between the timings published by Grosser and Renner and the photographs taken by Pascal Rondeau. In these photos, the yellow marker is located at 38.5 meters from the start, while the white marker is located at 40.28 meters. It is worth noting that athletes such as Fredericks, Mitchell and Bolton clocked 4.69, 4.70 and 4.71 seconds respectively, which casts doubt on the 4.71 seconds reported by Bailey.
Another analysis published by Feng Dengshou in China gave different intermediate times, but the exact methodology was not explained. The table below reflects his findings:
10-meter segments (seconds) |
---|
1.87 |
2.96 |
3.89 |
4.78 |
5.62 |
6.45 |
7.28 |
8.12 |
8.98 |
9.84 |
1.87 |
1.09 |
0.93 |
0.89 |
0.84 |
0.83 |
0.83 |
0.84 |
0.86 |
0.86 |
Further analysis of the sprint times shows that Tyson Gay ran the 20 meters in 1.66 seconds at the 2008 U.S. National Championships (two consecutive intervals of 0.83 seconds), and between the 50 and 70 meter markers he won the 100 meter dash in 9.77 seconds in a +1.6 m/s wind. That time was derived from video analysis from multiple angles.
Similarly, Bolt’s amazing performance during the 2008 Beijing Olympics is worth noting. He clocked 0.82 seconds in the 10-meter run between the 60- and 70-meter marks and set a 100-meter world record with a time of 9.69 seconds (with a 0.0 m/s wind). This analysis is based on high frame rate video recordings strategically placed at key intervals of the track.
These comprehensive assessments help us to understand the performance of elite sprinters, demonstrating the intricate details and methods involved in timing and analysis.
Bolt’s record-breaking performances: 100 meter dash times in Beijing (2008) and Berlin (2009)
In the exciting 100 meter dash final at the National Stadium of the 29th Olympic Games in Beijing last Saturday, Usain Bolt set an amazing world record with a time of 9.69 seconds. His performance was a great display of speed and power, and here are the 10-meter segment results:
2008 Beijing Olympics – 100 meter dash segments
- 1.84, 2.87, 3.78, 4.65, 5.49, 6.32, 7.14, 7.97, 8.81, 9.69
- 1.84, 1.03, 0.91, 0.87, 0.84, 0.83, 0.82, 0.83, 0.84, 0.88
This race was a game-changing moment for Bolt, setting the stage for his future dominance in sprinting. The final time of 9.69 seconds is one of the most amazing achievements in track and field.
Berlin 2009 – World Record (9.58 seconds)
At the World Championships in Berlin, Bolt set a new world record with an amazing time of 9.58 seconds, further cementing his status as the “fastest man in the world”. Detailed splits of the 100 meter dash in Berlin:
10-meter splits (scientific study, August 17, 2009)
- 1.89, 2.88, 3.78, 4.64, 5.47, 6.29, 7.10, 7.92, 8.75, 9.58
- 1.89, 0.99, 0.90, 0.86, 0.83, 0.82, 0.81, 0.82, 0.83, 0.83
Top speed: 12.27 m/s over a distance of 65.03 meters. Bolt’s top speed in this race came with a distance of 65.03 meters, which shows that he had exceptional acceleration throughout the race.
10 meter segments (biomechanical analysis, 2011)
- 1.88, 2.88, 3.78, 4.64, 5.47, 6.29, 7.10, 7.92, 8.74, 9.58
- 1.88, 1.00, 0.90, 0.86, 0.83, 0.82, 0.81, 0.82, 0.82, 0.84
Maximum speed: 12.35 m/s over a distance of 67.90 meters. Bolt’s raw speed varied between 11.7 m/s and 13.2 m/s over different stride cycles, indicating his incredible sprinting ability throughout the race.
The raw data collected from these races shows what a challenging task it is to accurately calculate maximum sprint speed. Despite advances in technology, such as the Laveg system, maximum speeds still vary due to the difficulty of obtaining accurate measurements. For example, video frames and laser timing measurements are slightly different, highlighting the complexity of sprint analysis.
Bolt’s performances in Beijing and Berlin not only demonstrated his exceptional talent, but also exemplified the evolving trend in sports science in measuring athletic performance.