Usain Bolt: 5 Records Only The Fastest Man Alive Could Break

Usain Bolt, known globally as "The Fastest Man Alive," is a name etched in the annals of sports history.

The Jamaican's legendary sprinting prowess, charismatic personality, and unbeatable records have made him a global icon.

Bolt's athletic journey transformed track and field, captivating millions with his lightning speed and his impact remains unmatched.

Pulse Sports explore five astonishing records held by Usain Bolt, so extraordinary that they continue to defy the world's best sprinters.

Though not a standard competition distance, the 150 meters is a fascinating test of both acceleration and top-end speed.

Bolt’s 14.35 seconds over a straight track during a special event in Manchester in 2009 is the fastest recorded time over the distance.

This event was held to bridge the gap between 100m and 200m races, providing insight into Bolt’s unmatched ability to accelerate and sustain speed.

Most sprinters begin to decelerate after 80–100m, but Bolt's ability to maintain peak velocity longer than anyone else set this time apart.

While unofficial, the 150m world best highlights a sprinting dimension unique to Bolt.

While sprinting is often an individual sport, Bolt’s contribution to Jamaica’s 4x100m relay world record cannot be overstated.

Anchoring the team of Nesta Carter, Michael Frater and Yohan Blake, Bolt stormed down the final 100 meters at the 2012 London Olympics to help set a time of 36.84 seconds, a mark no nation has surpassed.

The team's execution of smooth baton passes, along with Bolt’s final leg speed, set a standard in relay racing that no quartet has been able to match since.

Superb relays require four near-perfect performances. Finding four sprinters of that caliber, including one like Bolt at his peak, is extraordinarily rare. Even dominant U.S. teams have struggled with baton exchanges and consistency.

Bolt is the only sprinter in history to win gold in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay in three consecutive Olympic Games in Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016.

Although Jamaica was later stripped of the 2008 4x100m relay gold due to a teammate’s doping violation, Bolt’s "triple-triple" feat was widely regarded as one of the most dominant achievements in Olympic history.

Winning these three events requires not just talent but incredible consistency over 8 years, a lifetime in sprinting.

Injuries, competition, and team dynamics make it nearly impossible to repeat such a feat.

Just four days after his historic 100m performance in Berlin, Bolt returned to the track and shattered the 200-meter world record with a time of 19.19 seconds.

This record broke his own previous best of 19.30, set during the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The 200m is a unique race requiring both speed and endurance.

Bolt’s long stride and exceptional cornering ability on the curve made him dominant over this distance.

While several athletes have posted sub-19.60 times like American holder Noah Lyles with 19.31 in 2022 Bolt’s margin of victory and split times make this record exceptional.

The 100-meter dash is the ultimate test of raw speed, and Bolt redefined what was possible when he clocked 9.58 seconds at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin.

In that race, Bolt reached a top speed of 44.7 km/h between the 60m and 80m marks, an almost superhuman feat.

The second-fastest time ever is 9.63 seconds, also set by Bolt during the 2012 London Olympics.

Current elite sprinters like Lyles, Kishane Thompson, Christian Coleman, Trayvon Bromell, and Fred Kerley have flirted with sub-9.80s, but Bolt's 9.58 remains untouched.

This record combines perfect reaction time, acceleration, and top-end speed. The biomechanics and Bolt’s peak form created an optimal moment that has yet to be replicated.

As of 2025, no sprinter has seriously threatened Bolt's 100m or 200m records.

While stars like Lyles and Letsile Tebogo are closing the gap, they still remain tenths of a second behind. Given that a tenth in sprinting is a massive difference, Bolt’s reign appears secure.