Top 10 Greatest Olympic Sprinters Of All Times

October 26, 2021 By Sourav

It is sprinting, which has the reputation of being the toughest competition in the world. Compared with other sports, being the greatest Olympic sprinters of all time requires a lot of hard work and dedication. Sprinters are therefore highly regarded and respected around the world.

The sport of sprinting has produced many legends, including Carl Lewis and Asafa Powell, who will be remembered for centuries to come. There are many more athletes who have made their mark on sprinting.

Let's have a look at their accomplishments over the course of their career, which makes them reach the top 10 out of all sprinters.

Greatest Olympic Sprinters – All-Time Ranking

10. Yohan Blake – Jamaica
9. Linford Christie – Jamaica-British
8. Milkha Singh – India
7. Allyson Felix – USA
6. Carl Lewis – USA
5. Asafa Powell – Jamaica
4. Maurice Greene – USA
3. Michael Johnson – USA
2. Tyson Gay – USA
1. Usain Bolt – Jamaica

Don’t Miss

• Greatest Olympic Sprinters – Infographics
• FAQs Regarding Greatest Olympic Sprinters

Sprint is not just one of the most popular Olympic sports but it is also one of the toughest endurance sports of all time. And here are the greatest sprinters in Olympic games who showed their prowess on the field.

10. Yohan Blake – Jamaica

Yohan Blake is widely appreciated as the youngest 100 m world champion. He won the gold medal in World Athletics Championships in 2011. After one year, in 2012, he won the silver medal in Olympic Games in London in 100 m and 200 m races. There he played as a Jamaican sprinter for the Jamaican team.

Furthermore, his record of 9.75 seconds in 100 m and 19.44 seconds in 200 m are considered the fastest in Olympic Sprints history. In his whole career, he played in the Lausanne, Brussels, and Kingston, giving his personal bests, which include his 100 m race in 9.69 sec, 200 min 19.26 sec, and 400 min 46.32 sec, representing Jamaica.

Moreover, he is the tenth top sprinter among the top ten Greatest Olympic Sprinters of all time. Blake's major career wins include his three gold medals at the 2006 CAC Junior Championships at the Port of Spain. He also secured a Continental Cup in 2018 at Ostrava for the 4×100 m relay. Recently, in 2021 Blake started his season at National Stadium. In July 2021, at the American Track League, he sprinted splendidly 9.95(0.1m/s).

Besides, Blake has spectacular career wins as he won the events almost all over the world. As a result, he got the 10th spot out of the top 10 greatest Olympic sprinters of all time and has a net worth of about $5 million. Besides, he is also counted amongst the fastest runners in the world right now.

9. Linford Christie – Jamaica-British

Linford is the only European Athlete who has a British record for breaking the 10-second barrier. He won the gold medals in four major competitions of the Olympic Games, world championships, European Championships, and the Commonwealth Games. Furthermore, in European Indoor Championships, he secured three gold medals and one bronze medal as well.

While competing in Olympic Games in 1992, Linford got a gold medal at Barcelona for 100 m. Again, in the 1988 Olympics, he won two more silver medals at Seoul for 100 m and 4×100 m relay. He is one of the most decorated British athletes of all time. In the top ten greatest Olympic sprinters of all time, we have also ranked him on the 9th spot.

Additionally, in 1991 he won two silver medals in the World Indoor Championships at Seville. Considering his whole career, he is the only British male Athlete who has won 24 medals ever. To appreciate his career achievements, in 1993, Linford was awarded the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.

Throughout his sprinting career, he participated in the European Champions six times, securing three gold medals, two bronze, and one silver medal. As well as in the Commonwealth Games of 1990, 1994, and 1986 he got three gold medals and two silver. Besides, Linford got his retirement from sprinting in 1997 and started to serve as a coach.

8. Milkha Singh – India

Among the top ten greatest Olympic sprinters of all time, on number eight, we have Milkha Singh. In the Asian as well as the commonwealth games, he is regarded as the only Athlete who won gold at 400 m. While participating in the Asian Games, he won four gold medals. Two of them for 200 m and 400 m at Tokyo in 1958, and the other two at Jakarta for 400 m relay in 1962.

Furthermore, in the National games of India, he secured two gold medals in 1958 at Cuttack for 200m. Again in 1964, he won a silver medal in Calcutta for 400 m. And since then, he has earned his reputation for being one of the greatest Indian athletes of all time.

Moreover, he is best known for his sprint of 400 m in the Olympic Games of 1960. There his record of 45.73 seconds was considered the Indian National Record for 40 years. Due to his huge career wins, in 2008, Singh was nominated as the finest Athlete India has ever had. He also competed in the Melbourne Olympic Games of 1956, representing his country, India.

Additionally, Milkha Singh also participated in the British Empire and Commonwealth Games of 1958 and got a gold medal. He got retired from sprinting after the 1964 Olympics and died of COVID-19 in 2021.

7. Allyson Felix – USA

On 7th spot, we have ranked Allyson Felix out of the top 10 greatest Olympic sprinters of all time. Felix has a glistening career with huge achievements. Coming to her personal best performances, she performed incredibly in 100 m for 10.89 sec, 150 min 16.36 sec, 200 m in 21.39, and 400 min 49.26 sec. And now, she is counted among the greatest female sprinters of all time.

She made these splendid records in London, Eugene, and Beijing, respectively. While participating in the Olympic Games, Felix won seven gold medals for the 4×400 m relay six times and once for 200 m. Felix also won three silver medals and a bronze there for 200 m and 400 m. In Olympic history, she is the most decorated woman in track and field. Besides that, she is also considered the most decorated American track and field athlete. In the top ten greatest Olympic sprinters of all time, she is on 7th number.

Moreover, she is the current most decorated Athlete in the World Athletics Championship. Felix competed in the World Championships and won 13 gold medals from 2005 till 2019. Her major career wins include her six times National 200 meters championship for times 22.28, 22.13, and 21.69.

She was also a U.S. National 100 meters champion in 2011 for 11.27 seconds. Further, in 2012 she was awarded the IAAF Female World Athlete of the Year award. Due to her glistening sprinting career, Time Magazine included her in the 100 most influential people of 2020 and 2021. According to our sources, Wikipedia, and Forbes she has an estimated net worth of $4.5 million.

6. Carl Lewis – USA

He is regarded as one of the only six Olympic athletes who won the gold medals consecutively in four Olympic Games. He is ranked at the 6th position among the top ten greatest Olympic sprinters of all time. While participating in the Olympic Games, he secured nine gold medals.

Four of them in the same year of 1984 at the Angeles for 100 m, 200 m 4×100 relay. And the other four were in 1988, 1992, and 1996 in Seoul, Barcelona, and Atlanta, respectively. In 1983, Lewis won added three more gold medals to his career at Helsinki for 100 m, 4×100 m relays, and long jump.

Competing in the Pan American Games, he won two gold medals in addition to a bronze. Moreover, in 1980 he secured a bronze in the Olympic Boycott Games in Philadelphia. Because of his spectacular achievements, he was nominated for the World Athlete of the Century by the International Association of Athletics Federations.

Besides, he was also awarded the Athlete of the Year award by Track and Field News. Furthermore, he won three gold medals performing in the Goodwill Games of 1986, 1990, and 1994. After all these accomplishments, Lewis got retirement in 1997.

5. Asafa Powell – Jamaica

On 5th spot, we've ranked ASAFA POWELL out of the top 10 greatest Olympic sprinters of all time. On number 5 of the greatest Olympic sprinters of all time, we have ranked Asafa Powell. Representing Jamaica, Powell has participated in the major competitions of the Olympic Games, World Championships, and World Athletics. Participating in the Olympic Games, he won a gold medal for 4×100 m relay in 2016 at Rio de Janeiro.

He is a two-time winner of the Diamond League in 2011 and 2016 for 100 m. Additionally, Powell was successful at the Commonwealth Games of 2002 and 2006. There he secured two gold medals as well as a silver medal. Powell is now widely dubbed one of the greatest Jamaican athletes of all time.

Throughout his career, Powell has the 35 wins in the IAAF Grand Prix events and 12 in the IAAF Super Grand Prix events. Furthermore, in the IAAF World Athletics Final of 2003-2009, Powell is the only Athlete who won the most prize money and competitions. His personal bests are his amazing performances for 60 m (6.44 sec), 100 m (9.72 sec), 200 m (19.90 sec), and 400 m (45.94 sec).

Moreover, he also competed in the World Indoor Championships of 2016 and secured a silver medal. His career's major accomplishments count his five gold medals at the World Athletics Final. Besides, according to our sources, Powell has a net worth of approximately $6.5 million.

4. Maurice Greene – USA

He represented the United States in the Olympic Games and won two gold medals in 2004. Greene also won the silver as well as a bronze in the 2004 Olympic Games for 100 m and 4×100 relay. Competing in the World Championship, he added five more gold medals to his marvelous career wins.

Moreover, he gave remarkable performances at the Goodwill Games of 1998 in New York City. His successful participation in World Indoor Championship brings him another gold medal for 60 m in Maebashi. Further, in 2005 he won a USA Outdoor Track and Field Championship for 100m in Carson, California.

We have ranked him on the 4th spot among the greatest Olympic sprinters of all times. Throughout his career, Greene has an incredible record of the third most sub-10-second runs (52) in 100m. Moreover, his personal bests are his 50 m in time 5.56 sec, 60 min 6.39 sec, and 100 min 9.79 sec.

Due to some intense injuries, he wasn't capable of sprinting anymore, so he got retirement in 2008. However, he still remains one of the most successful Olympic athletes of all time. Besides, he was among the rich sprinters at that time, having a net worth of about $3 million. He then served as a track coach at the University of California at Los Angeles for the season of 2012-13.

3. Michael Johnson – USA

Considering the whole history of track and field, Michael is one of the most consistent and greatest sprinters. We have also placed him on the 3rd number among the top ten greatest Olympic sprinters of all time. His best performances are 100 m, 200 m, 300 m, and 400 m in times 10.09 sec, 19.32 sec, 30.85 sec, and 43.18 sec.

While representing the U.S., he participated in major competitions of Olympic Games, World Championships, and Goodwill Games. Moreover, competing in the Olympic Games, he secured four gold medals. Michael's World Championship performances were remarkable. He won eight gold medals in the years from 1991 to 1999 for 200 m, 400 m, and 4×400 m relay.

Furthermore, his major career wins include four gold medals at Goodwill Games during 1990, 1994, and 1998. Michael is considered the only sprinter athlete who won both 200 meters and 400 meters events. Besides that, he also accomplished the national records for 200, 300, and 400 meters.

For appreciating his career, Michael was inducted into the United States Track and Field Hall of Fame. In 2001 Michael claimed that it was his last season game and got retired in 2008. He then worked at the BBC and became part of the BBC'S Olympics athletics coverage.

2. Tyson Gay – USA

Tyson is ranked at 2nd position among the top ten greatest Olympic sprinters of all time. His personal best performance of 100 m in 9.69 seconds sets the American Record. For which Tyson is regarded as the second-fastest Athlete ever in the sprinter's history.

Furthermore, his other best personal games are 200 min 19.58 sec, 200 min 19.41 sec, and 400 min 44.89 sec. He participated in huge competitions and represented the United States. While competing in the World Cup of 2006, he won two gold medals in the same year. He also won a gold medal in the World Relays at 2015 Nassau for 4×100 m relays.

Additionally, his major achievements are the three gold medals at the World Athletics Final. He won these gold medals in 2005, 2006, 2009, for 200 m and 100 m, respectively. In 2010, he added another accomplishment to his winning career, the Diamond League Final gold medal.

Moreover, in his national championship competition, he won the NCAA Division championships of 2004 and 2005. Besides, in 2007 he was awarded the IAAF World Athlete of the Year award. And for many, he is one of the greatest male sprinters of all time. He officially retired from sprinting in 2017.

1. Usain Bolt – Jamaica

Usain is widely considered the greatest Olympic sprinter of all time. He holds the world record for 100 m, 200 m, and 4×100 m relay. His marvelous career has the major achievement of eight gold medals in the Olympic Games. And to the sports world, he is one of the most important athletes right now.

Moreover, Usain represented Jamaica in major competitions like World Championships, CAC Championships, and Commonwealth Games. Considering his personal bests, that include 100 m in 9.58 sec, 150 m straight in 14.35 sec, and 300 min 39.97 sec. He further secured eleven more gold medals, participating in the World Championships. Additionally, he also got two silver medals and bronze there.

Furthermore, he is a winner of the Diamond League of 2012 for 100 meters. Competing in the CAC Championship, he added one more gold medal achievement to his splendid career. Besides, Usain was also successful at the Commonwealth Games of 2014 at Glasgow for 4×100 m relays.

Among all the sprinters, Usain is the only player who won four gold medals in the CAC Championships. That's not all about his glistening career. Because of his spectacular performance in the CARIFTA Games, Usain won seven gold medals, a big deal. Further, he represented America in the World Cup and secured a silver medal. Undoubtedly, he is the richest sprinter who has a net worth of $90 million.

Conclusion

One of the toughest jobs in the world is to be the best sprinter. In this game, a millisecond can make all the difference between being a champion or losing.

All right, folks, that's all. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comment section or send us an e-mail. Your response is greatly appreciated.

Greatest Olympic Sprinters – Infographics

FAQs Regarding Greatest Olympic Sprinters

Q. Who is the greatest Olympic sprinter of all time?

Usain Bolt is the greatest Olympic sprinter of all time. During his career, he won gold medals in the 100-meter and 200-meter races in three consecutive Olympic Games and is widely regarded as the greatest sprinter of all time.

Q. Who is the fastest man in the world?

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt set the world record for the 100-meter sprint in 2009 at 9.58 seconds. When translated into speed, Bolt's performance is simply astonishing for those of us more accustomed to sitting than sprinting.

Q. Who is faster than Usain Bolt?

Tokyo - Usain Bolt's successor, has now been named. On Sunday night at Tokyo Olympic Stadium, Lamont Marcell Jacobs of Italy won the gold medal with 9.80 seconds. For the first time since 2004, someone other than Bolt, who retired in 2017, has won the men's event.

Q. Who's the fastest man in 2021?

The Tokyo Olympics officially crowned Italian Lamont Jacobs as the new fastest man alive. Jacobs ran the best 100-meter race of his life, posting a personal best of 9.80 in the final round.