Amidst Usain Bolt’s Major Confession on His 100m Record, a Look at Men Who Came the Closest to the World’s Fastest Man’s Record

Possibly the greatest sprinter of all time, Usain Bolt’s records speak for itself. Although a few have been broken, the majority of his World Records are still intact, untouched by mere mortals. Of them all, the 100m is the toughest to break as per several sprinting specialists. Very few have been able to close down near his historic 100m sprint in 9.58 seconds during the 2009 World Championship.

While several current track and field athletes like Noah Lyles and Christian Coleman have tried to tie the record if not overtake it, none has done so. The closest anyone has ever reached is still 0.11 seconds behind as Bolt compares the 100m and 200m records.

Usain Bolt makes a huge claim for 100m record

In the latest interview with World Athletics, Usain Bolt was asked which of his 100m and 200m World records will be broken first. “Not worried about none of them“, he replied savagely. However, he soon spoke wisdom. “I think 100m is going to be harder“, the Olympic great added. Bolt explained that the hundred-metre sprint was the quicker one, with no respite or wiggle room to make a mistake, making it the troublesome one.

The 200m record has been challenged more than 100m with Bolt’s Jamaican teammate Yohan Blake just missing by a narrow 0.7 seconds in 2011. “It’s a lot more technical, so I think maybe the 100m is going to go last“, Bolt explained. The 9.58 seems unrealistic but so goes the cliche ‘records are meant to be broken’. Meanwhile, which athletes came closest to breaking this earth shattering record?

Top 5 athletes to close down on 100m World Record

Of the current lot, very few have come close to breaking Usain Bolt’s 100m record. The closest was American star Tyson Gay in 2009, who touched the finishing line in 9.69 seconds. The next best is the Jamaican star Yohan Blake. He finished in the same 9.69 seconds at Stade Olympique de la Pontaise, Lausanne (SUI) in 2012.

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In the same hallowed grounds of Lausanne in 2008, another Jamaican sprinter Asafa Powell notched up the exhilarating sprint in 9.72 seconds. America’s Justin Gatlin holds the 5th position on the fastest 100m sprint charts at 9.74 seconds. Joined by his fellow American compatriot on the 6th position is Christian Coleman, who recorded a 9.76-second sprint at Khalifa International Stadium in 2019.

The latest to come close was Noah Lyles in August 2023, who finished in 9.83 seconds but still ranks 15th on the list. With the Paris Olympics in a few months, can any of the current athletes break it? Surely, every one of those would want to.

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