100m sprint comparison

[Omshanti]

I am not sure if this the right forum but here it goes.
Usain Bolt's 100m run is amazing, but it prompted me to do a little comparison out of curiosity:
Fastest modern human (Usain Bolt) with the help of modern training, rubberised tracks and spiked shoes: 9.6 seconds.
Cheetahs: 3.2 seconds
Greyhounds: 4.4 seconds
Lions: 4.6 seconds
Reindeers: 6.9 seconds
Grizzly bears: 7.4 seconds
Elephants: 8.9 seconds
According to anthropologists' analysis of 20.000 year old human footprints in Australia, primitive humans could outrun Usain Bolt as well.

Also since it's PH, some more interesting figures that I found out.
Cheetahs can do 0 to 60 m/h in under 3 seconds and can reach a top speed of over 70 m/h.
Greyhounds can reach their top speed of over 50m/h in just three strides.

Edited by Omshanti on Thursday 9th August 15:30

[ofcorsa]

Are those all from standing start?

[Agoogy]

An elephant quicker? really? is that more to do with the fact it's 3-4m long and has less distance to move? I can't see it personally especially if it had to put it's feet in those blocks...

Actually I can't see any of them doing quicker if they had to do it standing on two legs...

[FunkyNige]

ofcorsa said:

Are those all from standing start?

Not according to Google, he's taken the animal's top speed and used that to see how long it takes to cover 100m.
I believe Bolt got up to 27mph which means 100m in 8.3 (which seems a bit slow, maybe I imagined 27).

[nick s]

As someone else has said i don't believe they are from standing starts? I don't think it's possible for a cheetah to do 3.3 secs! imagine how quick that would look!

I can't see an elephant beating bolt over 100m at all either!

[TEKNOPUG]

Humans have evolved a huge brain, so they don't need to outrun/catch predators/prey.

[Agoogy]

TEKNOPUG said:

Humans have evolved a huge brain, so they don't need to outrun/catch predators/prey.

Good point a fundemental difference, although it would be cool to see 8 Cheetahs all line up to see who was the fastest, I'm surprised they don't....be a good way to attract a mate...

[Omshanti]

I don't actually know. I didn't think about that. I guess apart from the greyhounds, it's kind of hard to actually time them in a racing environment. The time has to be calculated with the top speed and the distance/time it takes to reach the top speed.
But if Cheetahs can reach 60 m/h in under 3 seconds and their top speed is over 70 than I'd say it's believable that they will do 100m 3 times faster than Bolt.
I have no doubt though that the time for greyhounds is from standing start since apparently they reach their top speed instantaneously and their time is probably timed in greyhound races.
Also, I think big animals such as elephants and bears can shift much faster than people generally imagine, which can be quite scary if you actually face them in the wild. I think in animal programs they always say it's impossible for humans to run from bears and that is why they say you are safer to play dead.

The only one I was surprised was the lion. I didn't think they would be so fast.

Can anyone find a time for horses?

Also since it's PH, how about the time of cars and bikes? Does anyone have figures for these?

Edited by Omshanti on Thursday 9th August 16:20

[anonymous-user]

so the list is basically the time that each animal can run 100m at their maximum speed, surely this means that the time for Bolt is wrong as it should be somewhere around 8.5 seconds.

[rover 623gsi]

Bolt's World Record 2009 – official splits from IAAF
0-10m: 1.89 – 1.89 (Reaction time: 0.146)
10-20m: 2.88 – 0.99
20-30m: 3.78 – 0.90
30-40m: 4.64 – 0.86
40-50m: 5.47 – 0.83
50-60m: 6.29 – 0.82
60-70m: 7.10 – 0.81
70-80m: 7.92 – 0.82
80-90m: 8.75 – 0.83
90-100m: 9.58 – 0.83

[eps]

pablo said:

so the list is basically the time that each animal can run 100m at their maximum speed, surely this means that the time for Bolt is wrong as it should be somewhere around 8.5 seconds.

Yeah and did they stay in their lane? Probably not, or wear their sponsor shirt or competitor number? Won't even mention the starters pistol!!

[anonymous-user]

eps said:

pablo said:

so the list is basically the time that each animal can run 100m at their maximum speed, surely this means that the time for Bolt is wrong as it should be somewhere around 8.5 seconds.

Yeah and did they stay in their lane? Probably not, or wear their sponsor shirt or competitor number? Won't even mention the starters pistol!!

actually Bolt's time tonight in the 200m from 50 to 150m could be an interesting comparison...

[BoRED S2upid]

Omshanti said:

I am not sure if this the right forum but here it goes.
Usain Bolt's 100m run is amazing, but it prompted me to do a little comparison out of curiosity:
Fastest modern human (Usain Bolt) with the help of modern training, rubberised tracks and spiked shoes: 9.6 seconds.
Cheetahs: 3.2 seconds
Greyhounds: 4.4 seconds
Lions: 4.6 seconds
Reindeers: 6.9 seconds
Grizzly bears: 7.4 seconds
Elephants: 8.9 seconds
According to anthropologists' analysis of 20.000 year old human footprints in Australia, primitive humans could outrun Usain Bolt as well.

Also since it's PH, some more interesting figures that I found out.
Cheetahs can do 0 to 60 m/h in under 3 seconds and can reach a top speed of over 70 m/h.
Greyhounds can reach their top speed of over 50m/h in just three strides.

Edited by Omshanti on Thursday 9th August 15:30

Now that would be some race / fight. Bolts going to get eaten isn't he? i'd watch it.

[Puggit]

Agoogy said:

An elephant quicker? really? is that more to do with the fact it's 3-4m long and has less distance to move? I can't see it personally especially if it had to put it's feet in those blocks...

Actually I can't see any of them doing quicker if they had to do it standing on two legs...

Not on the list, but the ostrich will be quicker...

[stuttgartmetal]

Sure.
An elephant can outrun Bolt.

Jog on.....

[Puggit]

stuttgartmetal said:

Sure.
An elephant can outrun Bolt.

Jog on.....

According to http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0004737.html it will be close!

[Omshanti]

But if you only compare the top speed, then you have to ignore the time/distance it takes to reach the top speed, which I am sure humans will have no chance against the animals.
The calculation has to include the top speed plus the time/distance reaching the top speed in order to be accurate.
Regrading the time/distance to reach top speed I can't find any data apart from the greyhounds (three strides to top speed). The 0 to 60 under 3 seconds for cheetahs does not include their top speed of over 70.
Usain Bolt seems to reach his top speed of 27 m/h in around 5 seconds and around the 50 metres point. If a cheetah reaches 60 in under 3 seconds and goes on to over 70 m/h, it will probably be passing the finish line by the time Usain Bolt reaches the 40 metres mark.

[FunkyNige]

rover 623gsi said:

Bolt's World Record 2009 – official splits from IAAF
60-70m: 7.10 – 0.81

That's 27.6 mph, 100m in 8.1s.

Unfortunately for us, two legs + upright posture isn't great for sprinting but it does mean we excel at endurance running. We used to hunt things (and still do in parts of Africa) by simply jogging after things until they collapsed of exhaustion, I can't see anything on that list that can beat Mo Farah over 10k let alone keep marathon pace up for 26 miles.

If we change the comparison to a multi-event of sprinting, distance running, high/long jump and swim sprint/endurance we'd walk it (with at a guess dogs/wolves/hyenas in second?).

[Omshanti]

Puggit said:

According to http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0004737.html it will be close!

The falcon's top speed is insane.

Also, we should not forget that we are using as an example the fastest modern human who uses rubberised tracks, scientific training ..etc in his advantage to go as fast as possible. The animals don't have any of that and they surely must have individual differences as well, and we will never be sure what is the speed of the fastest individuals in each species.

Edited by Omshanti on Thursday 9th August 16:52

[stuttgartmetal]

And a rabbit is faster than a giraffe.
Yep.
You're having one.

LMFA Right O