10 fastest male 100m athletes of all time ft Usain Bolt and Kishane Thompson

By Animesh Pandey

Modified Aug 04, 2024 18:06 GMT

Usain Bolt and Justin Gatlin are two of the fastest male athletes of all time when it comes to 100m. So far, there have been 199 instances of a male sprinter clocking less than 10 seconds to finish a 100m race, as stated on World Athletics' official website.

The main motto for the Olympics has been 'Citius, Altius, Fortius', i.e. Faster, Higher, Stronger. The men's 100m event is the greatest proof of this motto. From the times athletes competed on cinder tracks, to the times they broke new records on synthetic tracks, this event has seen it all.

Undoubtedly, the Jamaican legend Usain Bolt has to be one of the greatest sprinters of this event, with multiple accolades to his name. However, he had to overcome several sprinters as fierce as him. Here is a list of the fastest 100m male athletes to have ever graced this sport:

#10) Kishane Thompson

Kishane Thompson [Extreme Left], a strong favorite for Paris Olympics 2024

In one race, this 22-year-old sprinter has placed himself as a potential successor to the legacy of Usain Bolt.

At the Jamaican Olympic Trials, Kishane Thompson clocked 9.77 seconds, thus making him a strong contender for an Olympic gold medal in men's 100m at Paris 2024.

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#9) Ferdinand Omanyala

Ferdinand Omanyala, one of the fastest African sprinters [Image Source: Getty]

African runners, especially those from Kenya and Ethiopia, are known for their prowess in middle and long distance running. However, Ferdinand Omanyala from Kenya is one noble exception. Though he couldn't proceed beyond the semifinals at Tokyo Olympics, he managed to almost break the 10 second barrier.

Omanyala subsequently clocked 9.77 seconds a month later at an athletic meet in Nairobi, a new African record. He is now hoping for a better performance at Paris 2024.

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#8) Fred Kerley

Fred Kerley competing at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials [Image Sources: Getty]

Fred Kerley initially focused on the 400m, until he switched to 100m and 200m in 2020.

His efforts paid off, and Kerley almost had a chance to recreate history at Tokyo Olympics. However, his efforts of 9.84 seconds in the 100m finals could only earn him a silver medal.

He also won a gold medal in the discipline at the 2022 World Championships.

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#7) Trayvon Bromell

Trayvon Bromell, an underrated American sprinter [Image Source: Getty]

Trayvon Bromell is one of the few sprinters to have broken the 9.8 second barrier, and yet haven't won an Olympic medal.

He had clocked 9.76 seconds at an athletic meet in Nairobi in 2021. However, this feat came a bit late, since he could not make it to the 100m finals at Tokyo Olympics.

Bromell also won two 100m bronze medals at the World Championships in 2015 and 2022.

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#6) Christian Coleman

Christian Coleman, one of the unlucky champions [Image Source: Getty]

Christian Coleman is one of the few sprinters who could not win the Olympic glory due to sheer bad luck.

When he had clocked 9.76 seconds and won the World Championship gold medal, Coleman was dubbed as one of the strong contenders for an Olympic gold medal. However, his decision to skip a drug test proved rather costly, and he was banned for 18 months, due to which he missed out on Tokyo Olympics.

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#5) Justin Gatlin

Justin Gatlin, the King of Comebacks [Image Source: Getty]

Not everyone gets a second chance like Justin Gatlin does. Only years after winning an Olympic gold medal and the World Championships, Gatlin got a rude shock when he was accused of doping, and faced a lifetime ban.

Justin Gatlin didn't give up. He ultimately served a suspension of four years instead of a lifetime ban. Once he completed his sentence, Gatlin made a comeback in style, winning a bronze medal at London Olympics, and a silver medal at Rio Olympics. He also clocked a personal best of 9.74 seconds during an athletic meet at Doha in 2015.

However, Justin's greatest moment came in 2017, when he became the world champion, defeating Usain Bolt in his last 100m race by 0.03 seconds.

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#4) Asafa Powell

Asafa Powell, one of the fastest sprinters to have never won an individual Olympic medal [Image Sources: Getty]

Imagine you are one of the fastest sprinters of all time. Yet, you never get even close to an individual Olympic medal.

Yes, that's Asafa Powell for you. He had broken the world record twice, but it was never enough to get him an individual Olympic medal.

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#3) Yohan Blake

Yohan Blake, the man who gave Usain Bolt a run for his money [Image Sources: Getty]

In 2011, the unexpected happened. Usain Bolt was disqualified from the 100m race at the World Championships, and his own teammate Yohan Blake won the gold medal, becoming the youngest world champion since Carl Lewis.

Yohan Blake is joint 2nd with American sprinter Tyson Gay for the fastest time taken to complete a 100m race, when he clocked 9.69 seconds at an athletic meet in Lausanne in 2012, only weeks after he won a silver medal at London Olympics.

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#2) Tyson Gay

Tyson Gay, one of the unluckiest World Champions [Image Source: Getty]

When he won the 100m, 200m, and the 4 x 100m relay at the World Championships in 2007, Tyson Gay was considered the next sprinting legend. However, the very next year, he was eliminated in the semifinals of the 100m at Beijing Olympics.

Tyson Gay clocked a personal best of 9.69 in 2009. However, he never won an Olympic medal till date.

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#1) Usain Bolt

Usain Bolt has dominated 100m like no other [Image Source: Getty]

When Bolt first ran in the 200m at Athens Olympics in 2004, nobody ever imagined that he would even get into the finals, forget redefining athletics.

It's been 2 decades since, and Usain Bolt is one of the greatest sprinters in the history of track and field. 100m, 200m, you name it, and Usain Bolt has broken every record imaginable.

The Jamaican has garnered eight Olympic medals throughout an illustrious sprinting career, all of them being gold.

Usain Bolt holds the 100m world record at 9.58s