Usain Bolt has won two consecutive 100m gold medals in Olympics

10 greatest 100m runners in Olympics history

Modified Mar 13, 2024 11:31 GMT

There is no other event in Olympic history that is romanticised more than the 100m race, which is being contested ever since the first edition of the greatest spectacle on earth took place. Over the course of history, many athletes, both male and female, have raced on Olympic tracks to bring their nation glory, pride and success on the biggest stage. The 100 meters event has also given birth to several icons, heroes and legends, who have left an indelible mark on the annals of sports history.

The Olympics are a spectacle and the world is treated to over two weeks of amazing action from athletes, who have worked tirelessly for years to arrive on this stage and make it their own. No other moment could be more opportune to take a look at athletes who will always be remembered when the 100 metres Olympic event is mentioned. Here is Sportskeeda’s list of the ten greatest runners in Olympic history:

#10 Merlene Ottey (Jamaica/ now Slovenian)

The path on which the likes of Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce have sprinted to bring Jamaica glory in the Olympics was first found by Merlene Ottey, who is probably the greatest 100m runner in history to not win a gold at the Games. Now a Slovenian citizen, Merlene Ottey has all sorts of records under her belt, right from appearing in most number of Olympics (7) to winning maximum World Championships medals (14).

Ottey’s best performance at the Olympics came in the 1996 Atlanta Games, where she won silver to better her record of previously winning bronze at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. She has a colossal 9 Olympics medals but none of them are gold, which is what makes it really unfortunate. Her last 100m medal came at the 2000 Sydney Games, where Ottey won bronze.

Best performance in 100m at Olympics: Silver Medal (1996 Atlanta)

Best ever timing at Olympics: 10.93 seconds (1996 Atlanta)

#9 Maurice Greene (United States of America)

The feeling of being the fastest man of the planet is the rare one and Maurice Geene can tell you that first hand as the American sprinter was the first 100m gold medalist of the new millennium. Greene broke Donovan Bailey’s record of 9.84 seconds in 1999 to become the new world record holder when he clocked 9.79 seconds.

This achievement set him up for the nearly inevitable gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and Greene did not disappoint. Maurice Greene sailed to the finals of the 100m in Sydney without breaching the 10-second barrier and was up against Ato Boldon, Obadele Thompson and Jon Drummond.

The American, World Champion and World Record Holder at the time, put on the afterburners and managed to win quite easily by finishing the race in 9.87 seconds. Greene also ran 100m at the 2004 Athens Games and won the Bronze Medal there.

Best performance in 100m at Olympics: Gold Medal (2000 Sydney)

Best ever timing at Olympics: 9.87 seconds (2000 Sydney)

#8 Justin Gatlin (United States of America)

If you would take Justin Gatlin’s life and career, convert it into a movie script and go ahead to make it, the film would be nothing short of a blockbuster. The American athlete has seen it all in his sprinting career, right from Olympic glory, doping controversy to a making a comeback.

The 2004 Olympics in Athens made Justin Gatlin the cynosure of all eyes when he overcame Francis Obikwelu and Maurice Greene to win gold.

He won the gold at the World Championship in 2005 before he was banned for almost a decade in 2006 after testing positive in a doping test. Gatlin, determined to gain redemption, made a return to the 2012 London Olympics and managed to win bronze amidst the Usain Bolt show. He had yet another chance in Rio to beat Usain Bolt for the first time on the biggest stage but settled for the silver.

Best performance in 100m at Olympics: Gold Medal (2004 Athens)

Best ever timing at Olympics: 9.79 seconds (2012 London)

#7 Linford Christie (Great Britain)

There is a certain romanticism about how Great Britain treats it athletes, especially the successful ones in track and field events. Linford Christie, the greatest sprinter in British history, knows that feeling better than anyone else and his dash at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics will always be a part of Great Britain’s sports folklore. Christie was on the top of his game for two continuous editions of the Olympics, something that is really tough to achieve.

Through no fault of his own. Christie was a part of the “dirtiest race in history,” which will always be remembered due to Ben Johnson beating Carl Lewis, only to lose the medal later on.

After managing silver in 1988 Seoul Games, Christie had his eyes set on the 1992 Barcelona Olympics but he faced tough competition from Frankie Fredericks, one of the most decorated Namibian athletes of all time. Leaving Fredericks behind, Christie finished the race in 9.86 seconds to claim gold.

Best performance in 100m at Olympics: Gold Medal (1992 Barcelona)

Best ever timing at Olympics: 9.96 seconds (1992 Barcelona)

#6 Wyomia Tyus (United States of America)

Despite the number of accolades won by so many athletes, history always a special place for those who are the first ones to achieve a record and Wyomia Tyus is a part of that exclusive club. Much before the likes of Carl Lewis, Usain Bolt and Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce could do it, Tyus became the first woman to retain her 100m gold medal at the Olympics by racing to gold at the 1968 Mexico City Games.

Tyus burst on to the world stage when she won the gold medal in the 100m event at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, where she clocked 11.2 seconds in the second round to set both Olympic and World Records. Though she could not better that timing in the final, 11.4 seconds was enough to secure a gold medal and overcome compatriot Edith McGuire. She was to only better her record in Mexico and Tyus did it in style by setting a World Record of 11.0 seconds, which helped her create history.

Best performance in 100m at Olympics: Gold Medal (1964 Tokyo, 1968 Mexico City)

Best ever timing at Olympics: 11.0 seconds (1968 Mexico City)

#5 Gail Devers (United States of America)

Gail Devers is one of the most decorated American athletes with an amazing Olympic record that has been bettered by only a few in history. She was a part of perhaps the most exciting race in women’s 100m history at the 1992 Barcelona Games, where more than three runners finished within 0.06 seconds of each other. Devers followed the footsteps of compatriot Wyomia Tyus to retain her gold medal in 1996.

Her first gold medal came in amazing circumstances when she overcame Juliet Cuthbert from Jamaica to win the top prize after beating her opponent by just 0.01 seconds. The final race at the 1996 Atlanta Games was even more epic and she ended up on the same time as Merlene Ottey (10.94 seconds) but was adjudged the winner.

Best performance in 100m at Olympics: Gold Medal (1992 Barcelona, 1996 Atlanta)

Best ever timing at Olympics: 10.82 seconds (1992 Barcelona)

#4 Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (Jamaica)

Being a Jamaican athlete in the 21st Century has been difficult if you are not Usain Bolt. Due to the heroics of perhaps “The Greatest Olympian of All Time.” other sprinters from Jamaica have been overshadowed but not Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who has defined success on her own terms. The two-time Olympic Gold medalist has brought laurels for her country and her diminutive figure is an antonym of the ginormous sprinting talent she represents.

Just like Bolt, Fraser-Pryce shot to prominence at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing by achieving her personal best of 10.78 seconds, which was enough to see off compatriots Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart. The story at the 2012 London Olympics was a little different but Fraser-Pryce clocked 10.75 seconds to beat Carmelita Jeter from United States and become only the third woman in history to retain the 100m Olympic Gold.

Best performance in 100m at Olympics: Gold Medal (2008 Beijing, 2012 London)

Best ever timing at Olympics: 10.75 seconds (2012 London)

#3 Florence Florence Griffith Joyner (USA)

When Florence Griffith-Joyner entered the 1988 Seoul Olympics, she must have been expecting a medal but surely would not have imagined what was about to happen. The American sprinter was not able to participate in the 1980 Moscow Olympics due to the American’s government’s decision to boycott the games and won the Silver medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

She entered the 1988 Seoul Games being relatively inexperienced in the 100-metre category but it did not matter as she blew away everyone in a performance that is still talked about. Joyner is regarded as the fastest woman of all time, regardless of the controversies and questions surrounding her achievements.

Best performance in 100m at Olympics: Gold Medal (1988 Seoul)

Best ever timing at Olympics: 10.62 seconds (1988 Seoul)

The Olympic record set by Joyner has come under a lot of scrutiny over the years.

#2 Carl Lewis (United States of America)

Glory, fame, success and excellence form the cornerstone of a legendary athlete’s career but some, like Carl Lewis, go on to become institutions. Winning one medal at the Olympics is a colossal task and Lewis won 10 during his career, which explains more about him than anything else. Being specific to 100 metres, Lewis dominated proceedings to win the final by clocking 9.99 seconds, beating Sam Graddy – a fellow American.

Although it does not take away anything from him, Lewis’ second 100 metres gold medal in 1988 Seoul Olympics came under rather controversial circumstances as he was first beaten by Canadian Ben Johnson, who defeated him but eventually ended up being disqualified due to being tested positive in a dope test. Johnson’s disqualification gave Lewis the gold and also set a new World Record.

Best performance in 100m at Olympics: Gold Medal (1984 Los Angeles, 1988 Seoul)

Best ever timing at Olympics: 9.92 seconds (1988 Seoul)

#1 Usain Bolt (Jamaica)

In a world infested with the controversy, corruption and problems, watching a pure talent like Usain Bolt becomes a necessary antidote to cure negativities. Not only is Bolt already the greatest 100 metres sprinter of all time, it is highly unlikely we will ever see anything like him. The man from Jamaica is an aberration during times when a lot of athletes are caught in doping scandals and dirty the ever so pure fabric of running.

Bolt, the two-time gold medalist, is the carrier of running’s sanctity as a sport and has shown over the course of three Olympics in 2008, 2012 and 2016 what purity can do. In his first Olympics in 2008, Bolt put on an unprecedented show in the world’s most populated country to set new World and Olympic Records by clocking 9.69 seconds.

If people thought that he could not get any better, Bolt first set a new World Record in 2009 (9.58 seconds) and then delivered the best Olympic timing of all time at the 2012 London Games (9.63 seconds. There was a doubt before the 2016 Rio Olympics that he was past his prime but the Jamaican came, ran and won the gold medal.

Best performance in 100m at Olympics: Gold Medal (2008 Beijing, 2012 London, 2016 Rio de Janeiro)

Best ever timing at Olympics: 9.63 seconds (2012 London)