Usain Bolt once claimed he could’ve run a time faster than his 100m world record if he wore ‘super spikes'.
Bolt, 38, is widely considered to be the greatest sprinter of all time. The eight-time (nine before one was revoked) Olympic gold medallist has held the 100m world record since registering a time of 9.58s at the World Athletics Championship in Berlin, Germany, back in 2009.
The Jamaican also holds the 200m world record, which he set at the same world championships, clocking a time of 19.19s.
The aforementioned times were the quickest Bolt ever returned in the 100m and 200m distance in a competitive race.
But could he have run even faster with the help of the footwear dubbed ‘super spikes’?
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The shoes in question are described by Runners World as “trainers with spikes on the sole for increased grip” thought to give athletes the advantage of “increased grip” which “help athletes to turn their legs over faster without slipping when racing on the track or cross-country”.
The Running Channel explained the design as having a "performance plate above the functional spike plate, and the lightweight foams have been optimised for maximum responsiveness and performance for athletes, improving their energy return with each stride".
PUMA were one of the first manufacturers to develop the spikes, releasing two styles for their athletes to use at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
“Me and a friend were talking about this the other day,” Bolt told The Guardian in 2021.
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“And I was like, ‘should I be upset?’ Because I know over the years everyone has tried to make spikes different and better but …”
“How can I argue if World Athletics decide that it’s legal?” he added. “I can’t do anything about it. The rules are the rules. I don’t think I’ll be fully happy, but it’s just one of those things.”
The spikes have become popular over the past five years, a period in which several world records have been smashed.
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However, athletes’ preparation continues to improve with nutrition, sleep, and training all fine-tuned to perfection to give competitors small advantages which can prove vital on race day.
Although just three athletics world records were broken at the Paris Olympics in 2024.
But what time did Bolt claim he could run if he used the ‘super spikes’ during his career?
“We have guessed, and we have talked about it, but I don’t know for sure,” Bolt explained.
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“But definitely much faster. Below 9.5 seconds for sure. Without a doubt.”
Topics: Athletics, Usain Bolt
Luke Davies