The greatest 100m final of all time
October 23rd 2007 16:24
So who made the list?
Asafa Powell – Current world record holder and owner of the 5 fastest times in history - enough said really.
Ben Johnson – Forget the drugs scandal, in running 9.79 at the Seoul Olympic Games in 1988 ‘big Ben’ produced the fastest time in history on the worlds biggest stage, defeating the great Carl Lewis in the process. Had he been allowed to continue his career he would certainly have reached the mid 9.6’s and done to the 100m record what Michael Johnson did in the 200m.
Maurice Greene – the perennial competitor with his trademark swagger, trash talk and snarl his then world record of 9.79 was run with a marginal 0.1m/s tailwind. Also the 60m world record holder (6.39s), he won 3 consecutive world championships over the 100m as well as an Olympic Gold and bronze and has run sub 10 more times than any other man (52).
Jesse Owens – famous for his 1936 Berlin Olympic Games heroics when he captured 4 gold medals but his career was cruelly cut short by American athletics officials on his return home who did not want a black man to profit from athletics related sponsors. He was never again allowed to compete so we can only speculate to what time he could have achieved.
Carl Lewis – double Olympic gold medal winner (although one of those is the 1988 Seoul gold given to him after Ben Johnson tested positive) over 100m and treble world championships gold medallist. He is credited with revolutionising the sport from amateur pass time to professional competition.
Donavon Bailey – Another man to secure the treble of world championship, Olympic gold and world record done so between 1995 and 1996. His success helped restore the image of Canadian athletics after the Ben Johnson scandal.
Jim Hines – The first man to break the 10 second barrier electronically timed with a 9.95s clocking at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. His world record held for a huge (in sprinting terms) 15 years and he could have improved it still further had he not elected to pursue a career in American football after the games.
Justin Gatlin – former world record holder, Olympic gold medallist and world championship winner. His equalling the world record in only his 2nd outdoor race of the 2006 season indicated a much faster time later on in the year but was banned for drugs before realising that potential.
And the winner?
Asafa Powell – Current world record holder and owner of the 5 fastest times in history - enough said really.
Ben Johnson – Forget the drugs scandal, in running 9.79 at the Seoul Olympic Games in 1988 ‘big Ben’ produced the fastest time in history on the worlds biggest stage, defeating the great Carl Lewis in the process. Had he been allowed to continue his career he would certainly have reached the mid 9.6’s and done to the 100m record what Michael Johnson did in the 200m.
Maurice Greene – the perennial competitor with his trademark swagger, trash talk and snarl his then world record of 9.79 was run with a marginal 0.1m/s tailwind. Also the 60m world record holder (6.39s), he won 3 consecutive world championships over the 100m as well as an Olympic Gold and bronze and has run sub 10 more times than any other man (52).
Jesse Owens – famous for his 1936 Berlin Olympic Games heroics when he captured 4 gold medals but his career was cruelly cut short by American athletics officials on his return home who did not want a black man to profit from athletics related sponsors. He was never again allowed to compete so we can only speculate to what time he could have achieved.
Carl Lewis – double Olympic gold medal winner (although one of those is the 1988 Seoul gold given to him after Ben Johnson tested positive) over 100m and treble world championships gold medallist. He is credited with revolutionising the sport from amateur pass time to professional competition.
Donavon Bailey – Another man to secure the treble of world championship, Olympic gold and world record done so between 1995 and 1996. His success helped restore the image of Canadian athletics after the Ben Johnson scandal.
Jim Hines – The first man to break the 10 second barrier electronically timed with a 9.95s clocking at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. His world record held for a huge (in sprinting terms) 15 years and he could have improved it still further had he not elected to pursue a career in American football after the games.
Justin Gatlin – former world record holder, Olympic gold medallist and world championship winner. His equalling the world record in only his 2nd outdoor race of the 2006 season indicated a much faster time later on in the year but was banned for drugs before realising that potential.
And the winner?
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Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
All great athletes, make no bones about it - but Asafa Powell is something special too. Watch this space for ths man to do extraordinary things in Beijing.
MNG
Comment by LukeS
Athletics News
His deeds have since passed into legend which is amazing in itself and puts him next to people like Babe Ruth and Muhammad Ali.
A truly great man.
As for Asafa Powell - not sure whether or not he'll deliver in Beijing but he can certainly go even faster than 9.74 is fit.
Cheers for stopping by!