Top-10 Fastest Runners In The World 2020

Top-10 Fastest Runners In The World
This is probably the happiest photo of Usain Bolt. (Image credit: Fernando Frazão/Agência Brasil/Wikimedia)

Who is the fastest runner in the world right now?

For almost a decade, Usain Bolt has been ruling the world of athletics. According to research, the average running speed of humans is about 19mph, while men can level up to 27mph.

But as the sport advances with each passing day, we have seen several male sprinters trying their best to break existing records set by some of the world’s fastest runners to claim titles.

In this article, we give you the top-10 compilation of the fastest runners in the world ranked based on their 100m record time as of 2020. Without further ado, let’s jump right into the fastest sprinters countdown.

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Here are the Fastest Runners in the World Right Now

10. Richard Thompson

100m Record: 9.82 Seconds

Popularly known as Torpedo, Richard Thompson is a sprinter who specializes in 100 meters. The track and field athlete who hails from Cascade, Trinidad, and Tobago, came into limelight in 2008 when he came second behind Usain Bolt to be awarded a bronze at the Olympics in Beijing. Later in 2014, Thompson couldn’t keep the pace again as he was not running fast. A prove was when he was the eighth fastest sprinter at Port in 2014. 

9. Steve Mullings

100m Record: 9.8 Seconds

Though Mullings has never in his career competed for any Olympic Games and has never won a medal, he is currently the 7th fastest runner in the world right now. He has done this for five times and a quick run in Oregon, all in 2011. In Oregon, he was the first sprinter to break the 10 seconds barrier. A short time later, he was tested positive in a drug test, which led to the end of his career as he was banned for life. 

8. Maurice Greene

100m Record: 9.79 Seconds

During the early years of his career, Greene was the fastest sprinter on five occasions, winning five Olympic medals and holding the 100 meters world record at 9.79. He is now the world record holder of 60 meters. He had a full of his cup until 1999. 

During his career, he did not only win the Seville World Champion Gold but also broke Donovan’s record. He defended his positions for six years before Asafa Powell later broke his record in 2005. His career saw an end when he was tested positive in a drug test. He was dropped from the sport and never to return.

7. Nesta Carter

100m Record: 9.78 Seconds

Nesta is one of the American runners the world of athletics is proud of. Born in October 1985, he ranks as the seventh-fastest man in the world right now. His best personal record was initially 9.91. Later in Rieti in Italy, Nesta Carter beat his personal record when he completed a 100m sprint in 9.78 seconds.

Carter also happened to be a part of the team that broke the 9.8 seconds record. However, he was outranked in the 100 meters categories. In his career, 2006 was the best year for the American-born runner when he had his first-ever best performance. The current status of Carter is sad as he is battling with a steroid case, costing him a lot. 

6. Christian Coleman

100m Record: 9.76 Seconds

World's Fastest Runners - Christian Coleman
Wikimedia

Christian Coleman is one of the famous 100 meters and 200 meters competitors the world of athletics is endowed with. When it comes to the 100-meter dash, Coleman is a world champion. In 2019, at the age of 23, he added to his shelf a 100 meters gold medal, which was earned when he completed a 100-meter sprint in 9.76 seconds. Many people believed he was not capable of winning the medal on neutral ground if there were drug tests against the competition. 

5. Justin Gatlin

100m Record: 9.74 Seconds

World's Fastest Sprinters - Justin Gatlin
Fernando Frazão/Agência Brasil

Justin would have been the world’s first fastest man when he completed a 100m sprint in 9.45 seconds to break Usain Bolt’s record. But he was denied the title because he was believed to have been assisted by massive wind turbines. In 2014, Gatlin laid another personal best record to complete a 100m dash in 9.74 seconds. In 2001, Gatlin was suspended from international sports when he was tested positive for amphetamine. That was a significant setback for him, as it caused him a pause in his career. 

Coming back in 2006, he was again sent back on suspension for doping that same year. He had his way back to the international sports four years later when he surprised the world with his fantastic performance to win the 2012 WIC in 60 meters. And also, in 2012, Gatlin bagged a bronze in the Summer Olympics. 

4. Asafa Powell

100m Record: 9.72 Seconds

World's Fastest Runners - Asafa Powell
Agência Brasil/Wikimedia

Before Usain Bolt came forward to hijack the title of the fastest runner globally, Asafa Powell, a Jamaican-born, was holding the title. Seeing him on the list, one is not surprised going by the fact that he has won four world champions 100 meters gold medal and several other medals.

For three years, between 2005 to 2008, Powell held the world record as the fastest runner to complete the 100m sprint in 9.77 seconds. He has, however, been defeated on this world record. He set his personal best record in September 2008 when he completed the 100m dash in 9.72 seconds, in the event that took place in Switzerland.

2. Yohan Blake

100m Record: 9.69 Seconds (tie)

World's Fastest Sprinters - Yohan Blake
Wikimedia

Nicknamed “The Beast,” Yohan Blake is one of the famous runners to not miss out on every list of fastest runners. In fact, he is arguably believed to occupy the second position of the list of fastest runners in the world as he was able to complete a 100-meter sprint in 9.69 seconds – the same run time with Tyson Gay.

In his career, Blake set his best run time for 100 meters as 9.69 seconds. The event, which took place in Switzerland was where he became the second-fastest man ever. At the age of 19, he was the youngest man to finish the race under 10 seconds. 

In all his international competitions, the Jamaican runner has been able to bag a total of 14 golds, four silvers, and three bronze medals. As of 2020, all eyes have been on Blake to become the fastest runner in the world. Though age – 30 – may not be on his side, his current performance is promising. 

2. Tyson Gay

100m Record: 9.69 Seconds (tie)

World's Fastest Runners - Tyson Gay
Wikimedia

The American-born Tyson Gay comes takes the second position in our ranking of the fastest runners in the world right now. He became the world’s second-fastest sprinter when he completed a 200-meter race in 19.58 seconds. He has also managed to complete a 100m race in 9.69 seconds, which was a plus to his reputation. History will never forget his wonderful victory to become the first runner to ever complete the 100m in 10 seconds, the 200m in 20 seconds, and the 400m under 45 seconds. 

1. Usain Bolt

100m Record: 9.58 Seconds

Usain Bolt’s victory pose. (Fernando Frazão/Agência Brasil)

Usain Bolt ranks as the fastest runner in the world right now with a record 9.58 seconds in the 100-meter sprint. In the world of athletics, the Jamaican runner is simply a legend. This is backed up with several medals which he has won throughout his career as a runner.

No sprinter has been able to break the fastest sprint record which Bolt has set. He was fully known by all lovers of athletics in the Berlin 2009 World Championships where he won a 100-meter sprint in a world record 9.58 seconds and a 200 meters dash in 19.19 seconds. Bolt was also a member of the team that won the 4×100 in London, which they completed in 36.84 seconds. 

Finally, in August 2015, Bolt bid his byes to the Olympics with the record of being the only sprinter to have won three straight 100, 150, 200 meters  Olympic gold medals in the history of the Olympics. Going through his one-decade reign in Olympics, the Jamaican was a famous competitor in the world. In total, he has bagged 33 gold and seven silver medals throughout his career as a runner.

Conclusion

There you have it — our top-10 ranking of the fastest runners in the world as of 2020, based on their 100 meters record. What are your thoughts? Please share with us in the comments section below.

One Response

  1. Kano Man November 26, 2020

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