How fast can the fastest man in the world run? There is an overpowering compulsion to find an answer ever since Usain Bolt struck the world of 100 metres racing. After a record-breaking 9.69 seconds at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, he went on to better his record the very next year at the World Championship in Berlin with a 9.58 seconds sprint. So in a matter of just one year he sliced the record time from the pre-Beijing 9.72 seconds to 9.58 seconds. But can humans continue to shave off a few milliseconds and set newer records? And what is the defining maximum speed for humans competing in the shortest form of the sprint? Breaking the 10-second barrier was once considered a formidable task until Carl Lewis achieved it way back in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics with a timing of 9.99 seconds in a low altitude condition. The barrier has since lost its significance as several others have accomplished it. That seven of the eight athletes ran well under 10 seconds in the just concluded final in the London Olympics reveals how insignificant that glass barrier is. A December 2008 paper in The Journal of Experimental Biology noted that unlike thoroughbreds and greyhounds, which have already reached their biological speed limit, the outer limit for male sprinters “is only a few per cent greater than that observed to date.” For women, the running speeds for 100 metres “appear to have plateaued during the 1970s.”
How fast humans can run depends on stride length and frequency of strides. At slow-paced running, the contact time of the foot with the ground is long and hence there is sufficient time for the foot to generate larger forces required to increase the stride length. But as the speed increases, the contact time with the ground shrinks and hence the force with which the limb strikes the ground reduces. It is a fact that the foot-ground contact time is less than one-tenth of one second in the case of top-rated sprinters. Beyond a 7 metres per second speed, sprinters “shift” from increasing the stride length to increasing the frequency of strides. It is not clear if the force with which the limb strikes the ground during the fleeting moment of contact has already peaked. A 2010 study found that the ground forces applied when the subjects were hopping at top speed was 30 per cent more than top-speed running, giving hope for improvement. Aside from human physiology, improved nutrition, scientifically advanced and rigorous training, sophisticated accessories, and superior track technology may continue to propel humans into running faster than ever before, even if that improvement is in the order of a couple of milliseconds.
The Jamicans on the Run!
Remarkable.
The 100 and 200 m dash are the top most athletic events of any sports
event , Olympics included. Apart from the amazing physical build, a
display of how far a human body be developed to have physical
strength, this guy , Usain Bolt's psychological make up of mind and
the confidence is something to note and follow.
Great achievement ! He is entitled to boast that he is now a legend!!
The first sprinter to break the 10 second barrier was Jim Hines of the USA when he won the 100m run at the 1968 Mexico Olympics. Subsequently several sprinters have gone under 10 seconds but medical science experts believe that the ultimate limit would be close to 9 seconds, no less. Also, this would be achieved by a black athlete due to his elongated foot which gives him an advantage over his white counterpart. Currently, the only white sprinter of reckoning is France's Christophe Lemaitre.
Amazing Bolt!I tried running..but I completed 100 m in 3.5 minutes!almost 4 min. higher than Bolt's.
That is an excellent editorial on a very sophisticated subject detailing the technicalities of sprint and the nuances of the methods like foot-ground contact etc. It has always amazed us how the sprinters managed to better the timings, 100 metres in particular. It is informative reading such subtle details especially after Usain Bolt retained the 100m gold with 9.63 seconds. I would just like to add a point in the 10-second barrier topic mentioned in the article. Carl Lewis was not the first athlete to break the 10-second barrier. Prior to his 9.99 seconds at the Los Angeles 1984 Olympics, a few athletes had run a sub-10. Notably, Calvin Smith had run a 9.93 in 1993 a record that stood for over five years. Carl Lewis had a personal best of 9.92 at the 1988 Seoul Olympics where Ben Johnson, after being tested positive, lost his gold to Lewis, and his world record of 9.83 was scratched. Since the early 90s, the record has been broken periodically by Americans and Jamaicans.
It is indeed a great example of dedication and hardwork that has made Usain Bolt where he is now, at the top. He firmly stands atop on a ladder where no once has ever reached before. Not to forget his efforts and achievement has made all of us take a stand and look what all talent Jamaica has to offer to the world. His fellow Jamaican runner Yohan Blake is another example of the undiscovered talent that lies in Jamica.There increasing speed records surely means that sky is the limit for them. Great work . !!
Bolt has bravely given a surprising jolt to the world.In fact,these
men become ignited ideals for the complete world.The iron
determination deserves appreciation.
It is amazing that the athletes are running faster these days than one can imagine. We must remember that the use of drugs cannot be ruled out. We assume that all athletes are fair in their game until caught. Afterall, our body and legs can't run like a tiger.
Wow! What an insightful article. So much sports, science, and mysticism
packed within a couple of paragraphs! Usain Bolt does inspire.
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