History of the Men's 100m World Record

About This Dataset

The progression of the men's 100 metres sprint world record through history according to World Athletics records. The record has been broken 12 times since electronic timing was introduced in 1977, with Usain Bolt's 9.58 seconds at the 2009 Berlin World Championships standing as the current mark for over 15 years.

✨ AI Insight

The data reveals a striking gap between Usain Bolt's record and those of his predecessors, with a full 0.16 seconds separating him from Asafa Powell's 9.74 seconds in 2007. This gap underscores Bolt's dominance in the sport, as he not only broke the record but set a standard that has proven difficult for others to approach. The trend of breaking records has slowed significantly since Bolt's achievement, with the last record set over 15 years ago. This stagnation may be attributed to the physical limits of human performance, advancements in training techniques, and the increasing scrutiny of athletes' health and safety, which may deter risky attempts to break records.

Source: World Athletics

Key Findings

Auto-computed highlights from this dataset

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Carl Lewis (USA) leads with 10 in 2009.

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Average value in 2009: 10 · median: 10.

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1991 recorded the highest combined total across all categories.

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Gap in 2009: Carl Lewis (USA) is 1× larger than Usain Bolt (Jamaica).