Usain Bolt is often considered the greatest track and field athlete ever, redefining what it means to be fast with his incredible sprints. However, many other sprinters have also made their mark in history. This article looks at the top 10 greatest sprinters based on their medals, record times, sustained excellence, and versatility.
#10 Justin Gatlin
Justin Gatlin, an American sprinter, won gold in the 100m at the 2004 Olympics with a time of 9.85 seconds. He also earned a silver in the relay and a bronze in the 200m. Gatlin won gold in both the 100m and 200m at the 2005 World Championships. Despite a four-year ban starting in 2006 for a doping violation, he made a strong comeback, winning bronze in the 100m at the 2012 Olympics and silver at the 2016 Olympics, becoming the oldest man to achieve Olympic glory in a non-relay sprint event.
#9 Donovan Bailey
Donovan Bailey is considered the greatest Canadian sprinter. He won gold in the 100m at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics with a time of 9.84 seconds, a record that stood for 12 years. In 1997, Bailey defeated Michael Johnson in a 150m race, earning the title of "world's fastest man." Bailey was inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame twice, once as an individual sprinter in 2004 and again in 2008 as part of the 1996 Olympic 4x100m relay team.
#8 Asafa Powell
Asafa Powell is known for his numerous sub-10 second finishes in the 100m, achieving this 98 times. He held the 100m world record from June 2005 to May 2008, with times of 9.77 and 9.74 seconds. Despite injuries and doping allegations, Powell won Olympic gold in the 4x100m relay at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
#7 Maurice Greene
Maurice Greene, an American sprinter, broke the 100m world record in 1999, becoming the first man to run it in under 9.8 seconds. Greene won double gold at the Sydney Olympics in the 100m and the relay. He also won a silver in the 100m and a bronze in the relay at the 2004 Athens Olympics. Greene was a three-time world champion in the 100m (1997, 1999, 2001). He retired in 2008 after an injury in 2005.
#6 Tyson Gay
Tyson Gay is the second fastest athlete ever with a 100m time of 9.69 seconds. He was ranked the world's best in the 100m twice. Gay won three gold medals at the 2007 World Championships in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay. He is the only man to run the 100m in under 10 seconds, the 200m in under 20 seconds, and the 400m in under 45 seconds.
#5 Yohan Blake
Yohan Blake, a Jamaican sprinter, shares the title of the world's second-fastest man with Tyson Gay. He won silver in the 100m and 200m at the 2012 London Olympics and gold in the 4x100m relay. At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Blake won another gold in the 4x100m relay.
#4 Michael Johnson
Michael Johnson is known for his consistency and records. His world record in the 300m still stands, and his 200m record lasted 12 years. Johnson is the only male athlete to win both the 200m and 400m at the same Olympics (Atlanta) and to defend his 400m title at the next Olympics (Sydney). He won eight gold medals at the World Championships.
#3 Carl Lewis
Carl Lewis, an American athlete, held world records in the 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay, and long jump. He won 10 Olympic medals, including nine golds, and eight golds at the World Championships. Lewis was named 'World Athlete of the Century,' 'Sportsman of the Century,' and 'Olympian of the Century' by various sports federations.
#2 Jesse Owens
Jesse Owens is one of the greatest athletes ever, winning four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Games. He ran the 100m in 10.3 seconds and the 200m in 20.7 seconds on dirt tracks. Owens is credited with debunking Hitler’s myth of Aryan supremacy. He set three world records and tied another in less than an hour at the 1935 Big Ten track meet.
#1 Usain Bolt
Usain Bolt, the Jamaican sprinter, is the fastest human ever with world records of 9.58 seconds in the 100m and 19.19 seconds in the 200m. Bolt won three gold medals in three events across three Olympics. Despite having to return his 2008 relay gold due to a teammate's doping violation, he remains the greatest sprinter with 11 World Championships golds.
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