The world’s fastest individual possesses remarkable endurance and swiftness, essential attributes in fiercely competitive sprinting competitions.
Mastery of these skills is crucial as the athlete strives to cover the shortest distance at an extraordinary pace, aiming to surpass the world record.
Learn more about the fastest individual globally and their remarkable speed below.
Fastest person in the world
Data from past short-distance sprint competitions indicates that most of the world’s swiftest runners hail from African-American and Jamaican backgrounds.
Here, you’ll find a compilation of the top 15 fastest individuals in 2023 and their impressive speeds achieved in the 100-meter dash races.
Usain Bolt – 9.58 seconds (100m dash)
Profile Summary
Certainly! Here’s the information presented in a table format:
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Usain St. Leo Bolt OJ CD OLY |
| Born | 21 August 1986 |
| Age | 37 years (as of February 2023) |
| Birthplace | Sherwood Content, Jamaica |
| Nationality | Jamaican |
| Height | 195 cm |
| Weight | 94 kg |
| Event(s) | 100 meters, 200 meters |
| Personal best | 9.58 s (100m in Berlin, Germany, in 2009) |
| 19.19 s (200m in Berlin, Germany, in 2009) |
Jamaican sprinter Usain retired from professional racing in 2017, leaving behind an extensive collection of accolades and achievements.
Primarily known for his excellence in the 100-meter sprint, he is widely acknowledged as the most exceptional athlete in history.
Usain Bolt earned the affectionate moniker “Bullet” from his devoted fans.
Early years
Bolt was born to parents Wellesley and Jennifer Bolt on August 21, 1986, in Sherwood Content, Jamaica.
Raised alongside his brother Sadiki and sister Sherine, his upbringing revolved around the family-owned local grocery store in their rural area.
Bolt’s childhood largely revolved around sports, spending time playing cricket and football in the streets with his brother, his focus solely on sports during those early years.
His sprinting prowess surfaced during his attendance at Waldensia Primary, where he showcased remarkable speed in the annual national primary school meet, quickly establishing himself as the school’s fastest runner by the age of twelve.
Alongside his sporting interests, Bolt also harbored a fondness for European football, notably supporting Real Madrid and Manchester United.
Transitioning to William Knibb Memorial High School, Bolt continued engaging in various sports, catching the eye of his cricket coach due to his exceptional speed on the pitch.
Encouraged by his coach and guided by Pablo McNeil, a former Olympic sprinter, and Dwayne Jarrett, Bolt redirected his focus toward track and field events.
Despite his initial diversification across sports, he won his first high school championship medal in 2001, clinching the silver in the 200 meters.
Under McNeil’s mentorship, Bolt’s athletic career began to take shape, although challenges surfaced due to Bolt’s occasional lack of dedication to training and his penchant for practical jokes.
Additionally, during his upbringing, Bolt attended the Sherwood Content Seventh-day Adventist Church with his mother, who adhered to Adventist beliefs by refraining from serving pork in their household.
Usain Bolt’s 100m world record
Before the event, Bolt held the record for his Beijing Olympics performance.
Despite somewhat leisurely jogging through the final stretch of the race, he astonishingly clocked a time of 9.69 seconds, although he was anticipated to surpass that.
Securing his first-ever world championship title, Bolt claimed the gold, with Tyson Gay clinching second place and Bolt’s fellow countryman Asafa Powell securing a spot on the medal podium.
The remarkable aspect lies in his staggering 9.58-second finish time, an achievement that remained unparalleled for 13 years, even by Bolt himself before his retirement.
This fact speaks volumes about the sheer impressiveness of his accomplishment
Usain Bolt’s 100m world record fan footage
Those fortunate enough to witness the 100m final in the stadium were part of a historic moment as Bolt demonstrated why he stood among the greatest sprinters of all time.
This provided a glimpse of the sensation of witnessing an iconic athlete break a world record sprint.
The camera focuses on the scoreboard indicating the new world record as Bolt crosses the finish line, rendering the video an absolute perfection.