Fastest Man in the World

Everyone who follows the world of sport in some detail would have surely heard that the fastest man in the world is a certain Jamaican gentleman going by the name of Usain Bolt. Along with holding the world record for the 100 meters dash, he also holds the world record for the 200 meters dash, and is also a part of the team that holds the world record for the 4 x 100 meters relay dash.

A true champion, Bolt is also a 3 time Olympic gold medalist, and holds the Olympic record for these 3 events as well. Going by the sounds of it, there truly is no one on the planet faster than him, and it is safe to say that he is, undoubtedly, the fastest man in the world.

Personal Information

Born on August 21, 1986, in Sherwood Content, a small town in Trelawny, Jamaica, Bolt was truly born to run. His parents ran the local grocery store in the area, and Bolt spent his younger years playing football and cricket on the streets with his friends. He attended the Waldensia Primary and All-age School, and it was here his sprinting potential was discovered. He was only 12 years old when he shattered all existing records in the school for the 100 meters dash.

He then attended the William Knibb Memorial High School, and here he dedicated himself to track and field events. He developed his sprinting technique and speed under the guidance of Pablo McNeil, a former Olympics athlete who had participated in the 100 meters dash a couple of times.

At age 15, Bolt won his first annual high school championships medal, winning the silver medal in the 200 meters dash. In the same year he started participating in many regional events, and started making a name for himself. Since those early days, everyone involved with him could see his potential of becoming the fastest man in the world. He also entered the IAAF World Youth Championships in Debrecen, Hungary, in the same year and started clocking his best times in each subsequent race and event.

Speed of Fastest Man in the World

Popularly known as 'Lightning Bolt', the Jamaican set his world record in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. He set the new record for the 100 meters dash at 9.69 seconds, breaking his own previously set record of 9.72 seconds which he clocked earlier the same year. For the 200 meters dash, he set the record at 19.30 seconds, breaking the precious best of 19.32 seconds set by Michael Johnson in 1996.

To an ordinary layman, these times and records may not mean much. But many people claim that Usain Bolt is so fast that he can actually race a bullet fired from a gun. Now this may be a slight exaggeration, but it just goes to show the status of this legendary 23 year old. Its hard not to get taken aback by the fact that he is still only 23 years old.

The Next Step

If all this seems extraordinary to you, it will amaze you to know that Bolt smashed his own records again in 2009 at the Berlin World Championships. He won the gold in the 100 meters dash to make a new record of 9.58 seconds, and he also smashed his own 200 meters dash record by clocking the distance in 19.19 seconds. With these records in place, everyone in the world knew the answer to Who's fastest man in the world, and he ensured that he will be remembered forever as a true lightning bolt.

Weighing in at 94 kg (207 pounds), and standing tall at 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in), Bolt is by no means a small man. But with such a heavy and muscular body, the fact that he can clock such amazing times makes him a one in a billion athlete, and the world has not seen anything like him before.

A self-confessed Manchester United and Sachin Tendulkar fan, Bolt has a wide range of interests, apart from his sprinting life. He has even officially coached the world's most expensive footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, about how to run faster. Here is the amazing story of Usain Bolt, the fastest man in the world, who is still just 23 years old, and has the world at his doorstep.