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Olympics

One Race, Every Medalist Ever

Usain Bolt’s 9.63 set an Olympic record in the 100. So how far ahead of every Olympic medalist is he? Related Article »

All the Medalists: Men’s 100-Meter Sprint

Sources: "The Complete Book of the Olympics" by David Wallechinsky and Jaime Loucky, International Olympic Committee; Amateur Athletic Assocation; Photographs: Chang W. Lee/The New York Times, Getty Images, International Olympic Committee
By KEVIN QUEALY and GRAHAM ROBERTS

Usain Bolt vs. 116 years of Olympic sprinters

Based on the athletes’ average speeds, if every Olympic medalist raced each other, Usain Bolt (the London version) would win, with a wide distribution of Olympians behind him. Below, where each sprinter would be when Bolt finishes his race.

Usain Bolt
2012
Meters behind 2012 Bolt

This chart includes medals for the United States and Australia in the "Intermediary" Games of 1906, which the I.O.C. does not formally recognize.

Notable winners of the 100-meter sprint

I.O.C.
Archie Hahn
United States

The “Milwaukee Meteor” also won the 50-meter dash and the 200-meter dash in 1904.

1904, Athens 11.0
1906, Athens 11.2
I.O.C.
Jesse Owens
United States

Also set the world record in the 4x100 relay and Olympic records in the long jump and 200-meter dash.

1936, Berlin 10.3
I.O.C.
Jim Hines
United States

The first person to break 10 seconds in the Olympics; his 9.95 set an Olympic record that would last 20 years.

1968, Mexico City 9.95 WR
I.O.C.
Carl Lewis
United States

Lewis actually finished second in 1988 behind Canada's Ben Johnson, whose gold medal was stripped after he failed a drug test.

1984, Los Angeles 9.99
1988, Seoul 9.92 OR

All the medalists

The Times examines modern Olympic results in the context of 116 years of the Games.