What Was the Top Speed Olympic Legend Usain Bolt Could Hit in a Race?

During an illustrious career, Usain Bolt established himself as one of, if not the best sprinters of all time. Although the 35-year-old retired in 2017, he still holds the world record in the men’s 100m and 200m events, which today’s generation of athletes still strive to break.

The Jamaican’s ability to reach unbelievable top speeds in such short distances won him several accolades, including eight Olympic gold medals. In the men’s 100m event, Bolt holds the world record with a stunning time of 9.58s, which he set in 2009. This makes him the fastest man in the world, as his maximum top speed indicates.

What is the highest top speed achieved by Usain Bolt?

During his career, Bolt broke the world record for the men’s 100m event thrice. Prior to him, fellow Jamaican Asafa Powell held this title with a time of 9.74s, which he set in 2007. On 31st May 2008, Bolt broke this record with a time of 9.72s. He then broke his own world record just six weeks later at the 2008 Beijing Olympics with a time of 9.69s.

However, Bolt didn’t stop there, putting in his fastest performance ever, just a year later. In the final of the men’s 100m event at the IAAF World Championships in Berlin, the Jamaican sprinted to a new world record time of 9.58s. Despite his key competitor, Tyson Gay, finishing under Bolt’s former world record time, he was no match for the new record.

During this run in Berlin, Bolt recorded the highest speeds any human can possibly reach on the planet. Throughout the 9.58s sprint, he recorded an average ground speed of 37.58 kilometers per hour, or 23.35 miles per hour.

Furthermore, he recorded an incredible top speed of 44.72 kilometers per hour or 27.78 miles per hour in that sprint. He reached this speed during the 60-80m stretch.

To put this into perspective, the men’s 100m final in this year’s Tokyo Olympics acts as an effective reference point. Italy’s Lamont Marcell Jacobs struck gold in this event with a time of 9.80s. During this run, he recorded a top speed of 43.07 kilometers per hour or 26.76 miles per hour.

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Another world record in the men’s 4x100m relay

Along with three gold medals in the men’s 100m and 200m events, the Jamaican also has two gold medals in the men’s 4x100m relay. Although he won the event thrice, he lost his title from the Beijing Olympics because of his teammate, Nesta Carter, returning a positive dope test.

At the 2012 London Olympics, he represented Jamaica along with Carter, Michael Frater, and Yohan Blake in the men’s 4x100m relay. The quartet recorded a time of 36.84s, which stands as the world record to this day.

Although Bolt retired four years ago, today’s sprinters face a monumental challenge to reach not just his high speeds, but his level of success as well.

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