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A simulation has revealed whether Tyson Gay and Yohan Blake, the second fastest human beings of all time, would have beaten Usain Bolt's record without wind assistance.
For years, the world has been captivated by Usain Bolt’s blistering 9.58-second world record in the 100 meters, set at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin.
His unparalleled speed and dominance made it seem impossible for anyone to come close. However, as debates continue to swirl around sprinting, the question remains: Could Tyson Gay and Yohan Blake, two of the fastest men in history, have matched or even broken Bolt’s record under different conditions?
Usain Bolt: Fastest man in history
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Bolt’s career is the stuff of legends, with eight Olympic gold medals and world records in both the 100 meters (9.58 seconds) and 200 meters (19.19 seconds).
His astonishing performances, particularly in Berlin, where he averaged a speed of 23.35 mph, cemented his status as the greatest sprinter of all time. His 9.58-second run at the 2009 World Championships was aided by a slight tailwind of +0.9 m/s, but even without this advantage, simulations suggest he would still have run 9.67 seconds—a remarkable feat.
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19:10 - 14.10.2024
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Tyson Gay: America’s fastest-ever man
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Tyson Gay, the American sprinter with a personal best of 9.69 seconds, remains tied for the second-fastest 100-meter time in history.
Gay has consistently been a force to be reckoned with, clocking impressive times throughout his career. Notably, at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials, he ran a wind-assisted 9.68 seconds, and in 2009, he matched his personal best with a 9.69-second run at the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix.
Despite running in Bolt’s shadow, Gay’s speed has been undeniable, but under neutral wind conditions, he would likely have clocked around 9.76 seconds in races where the wind played a factor.
Yohan Blake: The beast
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Often overshadowed by Bolt, Yohan Blake’s career boasts the second-fastest times ever in both the 100 meters (9.69 seconds) and 200 meters (19.26 seconds).
Blake’s potential was always evident, particularly when he clocked 9.69 seconds in Lausanne, under a neutral headwind of -0.1 m/s. Unlike Bolt and Gay, Blake’s 9.69-second time remained unaffected by wind conditions, which places him in close contention with Bolt in any hypothetical scenario where external factors are eliminated.
A hypothetical showdown
In a simulation that pits Bolt, Gay, and Blake against each other under equal conditions—same reaction times, calm winds, and peak form—Bolt still emerges victorious, but only just ahead of Blake.
The simulation highlights how close the race would have been between the two Jamaican sprinters. Despite Blake’s raw speed and ability to stay competitive in adverse conditions, Bolt’s record remains unbroken. Gay, although a powerful sprinter, finishes a distant third, with his fastest adjusted times still falling behind Bolt and Blake.
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Could Gay or Blake have broken 9.58?
It’s clear that both Blake and Gay possessed the raw talent to challenge Bolt, but breaking 9.58 seconds would have been a monumental task.
Blake, with his natural ability to run near-neutral wind conditions without slowing down, may have had the closest shot at it. However, Bolt’s combination of height, stride length, and explosive power gave him the edge, especially in moments when all the variables worked in his favor.
While Gay and Blake remain two of the fastest sprinters in history, Bolt’s 9.58-second record stands tall. Even under ideal conditions for all three, Bolt’s legacy remains untouched—at least for now. However, with Noah Lyles emerging as the new face of sprinting, the conversation around whether anyone can break Bolt’s record continues to evolve.
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