What is Usain Bolt's 100m world record? It's not his 9.63 from London 2012 Olympics
Usain Bolt set London 2012 alight with his 9.63 time but he went even faster by setting the 100m world record several years prior – can anybody touch his record at Tokyo 2020?
Nobody has ever lived up to their surname in quite the same fashion as Usain Bolt – the world's fastest man of all time.
Tokyo 2020 has entered the next phase with athletics coming to the Olympic Games this weekend, and the 100m final is a major crowd-pleaser for fans around the world.
The stadium may be empty for the showpiece occasion, but the atmosphere will be palpable across the world as the quickest men and women on the planet gear up for the race of their lives.
But what about Bolt? He has set world records, Olympic records and won the hearts of millions, if not billions, across the globe. Can anyone touch his remarkable times?
RadioTimes.com brings you all the facts and figures about Usain Bolt's most phenomenal sprints ahead of the Olympic Games 2020 100m final in Tokyo.
What is Usain Bolt's 100m world record?
Usain Bolt hasn't just set the world record for 100m, he's set it three times! His current world record run stands at a bewildering 9.58 seconds.
He set the time in Berlin, Germany in August 2009. He smashed his previous world record which stood at 9.69 from the Olympic Games in Beijing 2008, breaking his first world record which was set just weeks earlier at 9.72 in New York.
Bolt is responsible for the three fastest 100m times in history, with his London 2012 run nestled in second between the Berlin world record and Beijing former world record.
By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Usain Bolt Olympic record
Bolt's fastest ever time at an Olympic Games was in fact his London 2012 performance.
It was relatively sluggish at 9.63 compared to his frighteningly quick 9.58 world record, but it still went down in history as the most rapid Olympic 100m time ever.
The next fastest man ever at an Olympic Games was Jamaican compatriot Yohan Blake who set a 9.75 to take silver at London 2012.
Usain Bolt medals
Get comfy, this may take some time. In short, Bolt boasts eight Olympic medals and they're all gold.
In addition to the Olympic medals, he has won 14 medals at World Championships between 2007 and 2017. He won 11 golds, two silvers and settled for bronze at the 2017 Worlds in London where he famously limped out injured during the 4x100m relay to draw the curtain on his career.
He initially appeared to have won a triple-triple (three Olympic golds at three consecutive Olympic Games') but he was stripped of his 4x100m relay gold from Beijing 2008 due to his teammate Nesta Carter being found guilty of a doping violation.
Is Usain Bolt retired?
There'll obviously be no more medals for Bolt as he has indeed retired from professional sprinting and there's no coming back.
Since retiring he has embarked on a professional football career which unfortunately didn't last longer than a handful of appearances in warm-up games for Central Coast Mariners of the Australian A-League.
He left the club after eight weeks and declared his "sports life is over".
Since then, he has enjoyed a growing family with long-time girlfriend Kasi Bennett. He has three kids, Olympia Lightning Bolt, Saint Leo Bolt and Thunder Bolt. Because when you're the fastest man in the world, you can simply get away with it.
Check out our guide on how to watch Olympics 2020 or see Olympics on TV today for more details, timings, and exclusive expert analysis from some of the biggest names in world sport over the coming weeks.
Sir Chris Hoy, Beth Tweddle, Rebecca Adlington, Matthew Pinsent and Dame Jess Ennis-Hill are among the stars we have to being their esteemed opinions, so don't miss what they have to say.
If you’re looking for something else to watch check out our TV Guide or visit our Sport hub for all the latest news.
Authors
Michael Potts is the Sport Editor for Radio Times, covering all of the biggest sporting events across the globe with previews, features, interviews and more. He has worked for Radio Times since 2019 and previously worked on the sport desk at Express.co.uk after starting his career writing features for What Culture. He achieved a first-class degree in Sports Journalism in 2014.
