The 10 fastest men in Olympic 100m history: Usain Bolt, Tyson Gay, Yohan Blake, Justin Gatlin et al
USAIN Bolt bestrides the 100m track like a colossus. How does his recent domination of the speed gun compare with former ‘fastest men in the world’?
Athletics
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1. Usain Bolt, Jamaica. Fastest time: 9.58 seconds
Bolt exploded on to the scene at the 2008 Beijing Olympics when he claimed three golds and clocked an astonishing 9.63 secs but he bettered that the following year when he became the first man under 9.6 seconds at the 2009 world championships in Berlin.
2. Tyson Gay, USA. Fastest time: 9.69 seconds
One of only three men to beat Usain Bolt in a final since the great Jamaican’s 2008 triumphs, Gay is the US record holder and joint second fastest man in history. The American claimed the 100m-200m double at the 2007 Osaka World Championships but has not claimed a major medal since. His fastest ever time came at the 2009 Shanghai Golden Grand Prix meeting where he beat the field with a time of 9.69 seconds.
3. Yohan Blake, Jamaica. Fastest time: 9.69 seconds
Yohan ‘The Beast’ Blake broke onto the world scene in 2011 becoming the youngest 100 metres world champion in history (Bolt was DQd) in the race. He finished behind Bolt to complete the 100m-200m quinella for Jamaica at the 2012 London Olympics. Later in the same year, Blake ran the joint fastest time in history matching Gay’s time of 9.69 at the Athletissima Diamond League meet in Lausanne Switzerland.
4. Asafa Powell, Jamaica. Fastest time: 9.72 seconds
The speedy Jamaican has never been able to convert his talent to victory at a major championship and always had to combat claims he lacked the mental strength to win at the Olympics or World Championships. His fastest time came at the 2008 Athletissima Diamond League meet in Lausanne Switzerland.
5. Justin Gatlin, USA, Fastest time: 9.74
Breaking the Jamaican monopoly, the controversial American made quite a statement in the first Diamond League event of 2015 in Dubai, beating his personal best by 0.03 secs from Brussels 12 months earlier. But he couldn’t follow it up with world championship gold, beaten by nemesis Usain Bolt in Beijing by the barest of margins. The 2004 Athens Olympic gold medallist and 2005 world champion, who served a four-year ban for a doping violation, remains a major force, even at age 34.
6. Nesta Carter, Jamaica. Fastest time: 9.78
This run in Rieti, Italy six years ago looked to finally announce Carter’s arrival on the international stage. But although success has come, primarily in relays, he has never enjoyed the individual success that he once promised. And now he is dealing with a doping allegation that could cost him — and his teammates — gold from the 2008 Olympics.
7. Maurice Green, USA, Fastest time: 9.79
What a year the diminutive American enjoyed in 1999. Not only did he break Donovan Bailey’s world record but he also won world championship gold in Seville and ran nine sub-10 second races. The Sydney Olympic gold medallist and three-time world champion held the world record for over six years before Asafa Powell broke it 2005. Tim Montgomery had broken it in 2003 but the time was rescinded due to a positive drugs test.
8. Steven Mullings, Jamaica, Fastest time: 9.8
Steve who? He’s never raced at an Olympics or win a major individual medal of any colour yet Mullings holds the seventh fastest 100m time ever. He didn’t break the 10 second mark until 2011 when he did it seven times, including his quick run in Eugene, Oregon. The Jamaican was banned for life after a second positive drugs test not long after.
9. Richard Thompson, Trinidad. Fastest time: 9.82
Thompson burst onto the scene as a 23-year-old in 2008 when he won silver behind Usain Bolt at the Beijing Olympics. But he didn’t actually run his fastest time until almost six years later at age 30. The Trinidadian set the eighth fastest time at the 2014 national titles in Port of Spain.
10 Donovan Bailey and Bruny Surin (Canada) Tyson Gay and Trayvon Bromell (USA) Fastest time: 9.84
Canadian Bailey was the Atlanta Olympic champion and the world champion from 1995. Countryman Surin always seemed to play second fiddle to him. Gay was the world champion from 2006 while Bromell is the up-and-coming star of the American team.
11. Leroy Burrell, Mike Rodgers (USA) Adekotunbo Olusoji Fasuba (Nigeria) Fastest time 10.85
Burrell holds the oldest time in the top 10. It’s now 22 years old. Nigerian Fasuba is the African holder while Rodgers became one of the numerous sprinters in the top 10 to set his mark in Eugene, Oregon.
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