Usain Bolt and sprinting achievements go hand in hand, with the Jamaican currently holding the 100 metres, 200m, and 4 x 100m world records despite not having raced since 2017.
Bolt, 39, remains the fastest human being to have ever walked Earth, having set both the 100m (9.58 seconds) and 200m (19.19s) world records at the 2009 IAAF World Athletics Championships in Berlin, Germany.
Three years later, at the London 2012 Olympics, a Jamaican 4 x 100m relay team made up of Nesta Carter, Yohan Blake, and Michael Frater clocked a world record time of 36.84s.
In all, Bolt broke the 100m world record a staggering three times and the 200m world record twice.
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Since Bolt’s 100m world record, Blake and American Tyson Gay have come closest to matching the eight-time Olympic gold medallist’s achievement with personal bests of 9.69s.
Aside from the traditional distances of 100m and 200m, Bolt also set a 150m world record of 14.35s at Manchester’s Great City Games in 2009.
Statistically, the race is the fastest in history. The event was cancelled after 10 years in 2019.
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Despite the list of Bolt’s achievements in the sport of athletics appearing endless, there was one particular record that evaded him.
Back in May 2010, Bolt’s Jamaican compatriot and former 100m world record holder, Asafa Powell, clocked a world best time of 9.07s in the 100-yard (91.44m) dash at the Ostrava Golden Spike event in the Czech Republic.
Bolt attempted to match Powell’s time the following year but could only manage a time of 9.14s en route to a 100m time of 9.91s.
It must be noted that the 100-yard portion was not classified as an official event.
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And there’s no doubt that Powell is one of the greatest sprinters of all time - having finished his career with one Olympic gold, two Commonwealth golds, and two World Athletics Championships golds – although his career is arguably overshadowed by the fact he was banned for 18 months back in April 2014 after being found guilty of a doping offence.
The then-31-year-old tested positive for the banned stimulant oxilofrine in June 2013.
Powell’s ban was reduced to six months after a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
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Speaking to The Guardian back in 2011, Powell claimed that Bolt once described him as “the only man in the world” who could beat him.
Powell said: "He's always been telling me that over the years. I get the truth out of him when he drinks a bit. He gets a bit tipsy and he's like [adopts a slurring voice]: 'Asafa, you're the only man in the world I think can beat me.'"
Topics: Usain Bolt, Athletics, Olympics
Luke Davies