Not Usain Bolt, American Legend Put Forward as Faster Than World Record Holder: “Nobody Really Knows”

Usain Bolt made track and field history in 2009 with his jaw-dropping 9.58 seconds in the 100m and 19.19 seconds in the 200m, records that have stood strong even seven years after his retirement. With his speed, Bolt established new benchmarks multiple times throughout his career. Snatching the 100-meter record for the first time, and clocking 9.72 seconds, he also surpassed Asafa Powell in 2008.

To add to his journey, Bolt has even mentioned how the 100-meter record was his trickiest achievement, with only a handful coming close to his lightning-fast time. But did you know there’s an American legend who not only almost broke Bolt’s record but also outpaced him?

The American legend who surpassed Usain Bolt’s speed

On a recent “Ready Set Go” episode hosted by Justin Gatlin and Rodney Green, while they were having a lively chat with 2X Olympian Wallace Spearmon, the topic turned to Tyson Gay, who’s known for his blazing speed and holds the second-fastest 100-meter time ever, tied with Yohan Blake, just behind Usain Bolt.

It was Rodney Green who made an interesting point, claiming, “Usain Bolt is the world record holder, but I think the fastest top-end speed, top speed Tyson holds that, and I don’t think nobody really knows that.” And, Rodney did seem pretty confident about it, almost challenging listeners to fact-check him. So let’s do the math.

Back in 2008, Usain Bolt grabbed the 100-meter record with a swift 9.72 seconds in New York, surpassing Asafa Powell. But the American sprinter Tyson Gay turned heads at the 2008 US Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon, scorching the track in just 9.68 seconds, faster than Bolt’s initial mark. What’s intriguing is Gay’s recorded top speed of 27.9 miles per hour, the fastest ever clocked.

Fast forward to 2009, and Bolt set the current world record at the IAAF World Championships with a mind-blowing 9.58 seconds. During that race, Bolt did hit an average ground speed of 37.58 km/h, peaking at 44.72 km/h between the 60-80m mark—truly fitting for the world’s fastest man.

Now, let’s crunch the numbers. 1 kilometer is approximately equal to 0.621371 miles. Therefore, 1 kilometer per hour (km/h) is equal to 0.621371 miles per hour (mph). 44.72 km/h × 0.621371 ≈ 27.825 miles per hour. So in comparison, Tyson Gay’s peak speed of 27.9 mph was slightly faster. But why didn’t Gay still set a new world record in 2008?

What happened with Tyson Gay’s best speed?

At the 2008 US Olympic Trials, Tyson Gay blazed through the 100 meters in an astonishing 9.68 seconds, but there was a catch: a tailwind of 4.1 meters per second. Meanwhile, Usain Bolt’s 9.72-second record-setting sprint in 2008 in New York had a +1.7 tailwind. His subsequent world record of 9.58 seconds at the 2009 IAAF World Championships had a much gentler +0.9 tailwind/meter second. To officially set a record, wind assistance must not exceed 2 meters per second, so that is why, despite 9.68 seconds from 2008, Gay’s time would not be recognized as the record.

Despite the wind conditions, commentators couldn’t help but marvel at Gay’s sheer speed, noting that it was the fastest any human had ever covered 100 meters, surpassing previous wind-aided bests.

Since then, challengers have come close to Bolt’s iconic record, but surpassing it will require an extraordinary athlete under near-perfect conditions with very little wind assistance to outdo Usain Bolt, the “Fastest Man Alive.” As we reflect on these facts, what are your thoughts about this blazing speed by Tyson Gay? Share in the comments below!