The average human can run at 19 mph but the fastest runners in the world defy all the possiblities. The endless speed and herculean strength to sprint in the field set them aside from the rest. Here is the top 10 list of the fastest sprinters to ever race on earth.
Top 10 Fastest Runners in the World
10. Richard Thompson
100-m clock: 9.82 seconds
Hometown: Cascade, Trinidad and Tobago
Richard Thompson hails from Trinidad and Tobago who was known in his Beijing Olympics sprint. In 2008, he finished the bronze medal after trailing Usain Bolt. He was only 23 years old at the time. He was dubbed as "Torpedo" due to his ability to chase his contenders. In 2014, he only finished eight.
9. Steven Mullings
100-m clock: 9.8 seconds
Hometown: St. Elizabeth Parish, Jamaica
Mullings is a rare breed of a sprinter who dazzles the audience despite not having Olympic accolades on his neck. He won the bronze in the Pan American Junior Championships on his first professional athletics career. At the time, he was the sixth fastest man in the 100-meter category. In 2004, he was banned for two years for excessive testosterone usage. In 2011, he was caught again, but this time, he served a lifetime ban.
8. Maurice Greene
100-m clock: 9.79 seconds
Hometown: Kansas, USA
Greene's career is surrounded by a lot of awards including his four Olympic medals and five World titles. He was declared as America's fastest runner until 1999. He surpassed Donovan Bailey's record and took the gold in Seville World Championships in Spain. In 2008, he was accused of cheating drug results.
7. Nesta Carter
100-m clock: 9.78 seconds
Hometown: Banana Ground, Jamaica
Carter's previous record of 9.91 was also shattered by himself when he clocked 9.78 seconds in Italy. Although his career was teeming with co-Jamaican runners who are ahead of him, Carter proved that he is an important piece in the Olympics after winning two medals in the 4x100 meter relay. He always excels in group contest despite having a good individual career. In 2008, Nesta and his teammates which include Usain Bolt were stripped of the gold medal when he failed the drug test.
6. Christian Coleman
100-m clock:9.76 seconds
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Coleman is no stranger when it comes to track-and-field events, especially in the 100 m and 200 m sprint. In Doha, he clocked 9.76 seconds to bag the gold medal in the World Athletics Championships. In 2020, he was the fastest runner in the world.
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5. Justin Gatlin
100-m clock: 9.74 seconds
Hometown: Brooklyn, New York, USA
Usain Bolt could have been defeated if it wasn't for the interference of the wind. Gatlin passed Bolt's 9.58 seconds after timing 9.45 seconds in one of his races. In Diamond League 2015, Gatlin sensationalized his impressive finish after ousting the powerhouse Jamaicans behind him. He was banned in 2001 after testing positive with amphetamine. In 2006, he was banned again only to get free in 2010. He finished second place in Rio Olympics 2016.
4. Asafa Powell
100-m clock: 9.72 seconds
Hometown: Spanish Town, Jamaica
Before Bolt, there was Powell who was "The Flash" at the time. The 38-year-old former sprinter set the world record twice after clocking 9.77 seconds and 9.74 seconds between 2005 and 2008. He had four world titles under his name. In September 2008, he clocked 9.72 for his world record.
3. Yohan Blake
100-m clock: 9.69 seconds
Hometown: Saint James Parish, Jamaica
One of the youngest sprinters of this time, Blake's bar to greatness can never be lowered down easily. On August 23, 2012, "The Beast" ran for 9.69 seconds to set his personal best record in the 100-meter dash. He became the youngest player to reach the line within 10 seconds. In total, he had 14 golds, four silvers, and three bronzes on his career.
2. Tyson Gay
100-m clock: 9.69 seconds
Hometown: Lexington, Kentucky, USA
Gay tied with Blake for the 100-meter sprint record at 9.69 seconds. In the 200-meter, he recorded 19.58 seconds to become the second-fastest man in the world. In 2009, his Shanghai record on 100 meters reached 9.69 seconds, the fastest record on his journal. Gay championed the World Championships after winning gold in three individual events: 100, 200, and 400-meter sprint.
1. Usain Bolt
100-m clock: 9.58 seconds
Hometown: Sherwood Content, Jamaica
No one is shocked to know how the list ended in the hands of the sprinting icon Usain Bolt. The most decorated athlete of all-time broke several world records including the Berlin Championships at 9.58 seconds. The fastest man alive was the only man to bag the 200-m world champion three times in 2013. Before his retirement in 2017, Bolt had hauled a total of 33 golds and seven silvers throughout his entire professional career. He will be forever remembered as the man who raced with the cheetah.
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