What Will It Take To Break Usain Bolt’s Record?

It may be further away than we think...

Usain Bolt’s 100m world record of 9.58 seconds, set in 2009, has remained untouchable for 15 years. Despite the immense progress in sports science, technology, and athlete performance, no one has come close to challenging Boltโ€™s feat. The question remains: will this record ever be broken?

The Science Behind Bolt’s Speed

Boltโ€™s record isn’t just a result of rigorous training; itโ€™s rooted in his genetics. His 6’5″ frame and unique biomechanics give him an edge over other sprinters. While most elite sprinters complete the 100m in around 44 steps, Bolt only needs 41. This is his biggest difference-maker. Fewer steps mean he spends more time covering ground at top speed, minimizing time spent accelerating.

Researchers like Peter Weyand and Sam Allen emphasize that the fastest sprinters spend about 60% of their time in the air, without their feet touching the ground. Boltโ€™s height and stride length allow him to maintain this advantage, pushing him forward with fewer steps and maximizing his airborne time. Weyand and Allen argue that such a combination of height, speed, and genetics is rare and may never be replicated.

How fast can Usain Bolt run 6

Can Genetics and Training Break the Barrier?

While Boltโ€™s genetics play a significant role in his dominance, some researchers believe itโ€™s not impossible for another athlete to break his record.

A study from the University of Bath led by Polly McGuigan and Aki Salo suggests that a sub-nine-second race could be achieved in the future, but it would require a genetic outlier with even more muscle power and faster-twitch muscle fibers than today’s top sprinters. According to their research, athletes with a higher proportion of these muscle fibers could generate more force in less time, leading to faster sprinting speeds.

However, McGuigan and Salo caution that such an athlete may not appear for generations. The genetics needed to surpass Boltโ€™s record would require an ideal combination of strength, speed, and, well, the perfect buildโ€”traits that are hard to come by even in elite sprinters today.

What Will It Take To Break Usain Bolt's Record? 1

Recent Contenders: How Close Are They?

Noah Lyles, the most recent Olympic 100m champion, recorded a personal best of 9.79 seconds in Paris in 2024. While impressive, it still falls 0.21 seconds short of Bolt’s record. To put this into perspective, 0.21 seconds is a significant margin in sprinting, and even athletes like Tyson Gay and Yohan Blake, who both recorded times of 9.69 seconds in 2009 and 2012, havenโ€™t come close to breaking Boltโ€™s 9.58.

Lylesโ€™ success showcases the difficulty of breaking into Bolt’s territory. Despite years of development in sports science, training methods, and nutrition, sprinters today still find themselves on a wild goose chase for a record set 15 years ago. Bolt’s unparalleled speed on that day in Berlin continues to be a benchmark, and no one has yet demonstrated the combination of speed, skill, and genetics to surpass it.

How fast can Usain Bolt run

The Future of Sprinting

While breaking Boltโ€™s 100m record may seem impossible right now, the evolution of human performance continues. Advances in training methods, recovery technology, and even the potential for another genetic diamond to come along, may one day enable us to witness Bolt’s record fall. But for now, his 9.58 seconds remains the gold standard in sprinting.

In the end, breaking this record will take more than just a fast runner. It will require an extraordinary combination of natural ability, superior training, and perhaps a new level of human evolution. Until that day comes, Usain Bolt’s legacy as the fastest man on Earth remains.

References

Clark, K. P., & Weyand, P. G. (2014). Are running speeds maximized with simple-spring stance mechanics? Journal of Applied Physiology, 117(6), 604โ€“615. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00174.2014

Cowburn, J., Serrancolรญ, G., Pavei, G., Minetti, A., Salo, A., Colyer, S., & Cazzola, D. (2024). A novel computational framework for the estimation of internal musculoskeletal loading and muscle adaptation in hypogravity. Frontiers in Physiology, 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2024.1329765

Weyand, P. G., Sternlight, D. B., Bellizzi, M. J., & Wright, S. (2000). Faster top running speeds are achieved with greater ground forces not more rapid leg movements. Journal of Applied Physiology, 89(5), 1991โ€“1999. https://doi.org/10.1152/jappl.2000.89.5.1991

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Avatar photo

Jessy Carveth

Senior News Editor

Jessy has been active her whole life, competing in cross-country, track running, and soccer throughout her undergrad. She pivoted to road cycling after completing her Bachelor of Kinesiology with Nutrition from Acadia University. Jessy is currently a professional road cyclist living and training in Spain.

Want To Save This Guide For Later?

Enter your email and we'll give it over to your inbox.