Review of the best according to the editorial board. On the selection criteria. This material is subjective and does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.
Sport is adrenaline, but what if not speed gives it the greatest amount? It is running that shows the athlete's maximum will to win and his ultimate physical capabilities. Today, our rating includes the best of the best – not just champions, but record holders, whose achievements in one way or another influenced the development of athletics.
- Rating of the fastest runners on the planet
- Florence Griffith Joyner is the fastest woman on the planet
- Usain St. Leo Bolt is the fastest runner on the planet
- Donald Lipicott is the first record holder in the short marathon
- Jesse Owens – Longest Record
- Kenenisa Bekele Beyecha – little Olympic marathon runner
- Michael Johnson is the most peculiar runner
- David Lekuta Rudisha is the most promising runner
Rating of the fastest runners on the planet
| Nomination | a place | Name | Features: | rating |
| Rating of the fastest runners on the planet | 1 | Florence Griffith Joyner | FASTEST WOMAN IN THE PLANET | 5.0 |
| 2 | Usain St. Leo Bolt | FASTEST RUNNER ON THE PLANET | 5.0 | |
| 3 | Donald Lipicott | FIRST RECORDMAN IN SHORT MARATHON | 4.9 | |
| 4 | Jesse Owens | LONGEST RECORD | 4.8 | |
| 5 | Kenenis Bekele Beyech | LITTLE OLYMPIC MARATHONER | 4.7 | |
| Michael Johnson | MOST SPECIAL RUNNER | 4.6 | ||
| 6 | David Lekuta Rudisha | THE MOST ADVANCED RUNNER | 4.5 |
Florence Griffith Joyner is the fastest woman on the planet
Rating: 5.0
Country: USA
Height: 170 cm
Weight: 57 kg
Records: running at a distance of 100 meters – 10.49 s; running at a distance of 200 meters – 21.34 s
It would be logical to start with the only representative of the fair sex in our ranking. The three-time Olympic champion managed to bypass many men on the treadmill. Florence has always stood out against the background of other athletes, and we are talking about appearance including: she never allowed herself to appear in a race without her hair and carefully applied makeup (especially when there was a photo or video shooting). It is not for nothing that in the professional environment she was called a 'style icon'.
The athlete first loudly declared herself at the 1984 Olympic Games, becoming the second at a distance of 200 meters and repeated her result 3 years later, already in Rome. 1988 was a landmark year for Griffith Joyner when she set a new world record for women after running the 100-meter distance in Indianapolis in an incredible 10.49 seconds.
Surprisingly, the phenomenal result recorded more than 30 years ago has not yet been beaten. Joyner left the sport very unexpectedly – at the height of her career in 1990. After a short period of time, she began to have health problems and quite serious ones. A series of heart attacks resulted in death in 1998.
It is believed that Florence Griffith Joyner died in her sleep from an epileptic seizure (according to other information, from a heart attack). Although the debate that the athlete could use doping still does not subside, and there are two reasons for this: her rapidly improving results in races and early death from an alleged heart attack.
Usain St. Leo Bolt is the fastest runner on the planet
Rating: 5.0
Country: Jamaica
Height: 195 cm
Weight: 94 kg
Records: running at a distance of 100 meters – 9.58 s; running at a distance of 200 meters – 19.19 s; running at a distance of 4×100 meters – 36.84 s
One of the greatest athletes of our time and still unbeaten record holder of the Olympic Games – Usain Bolt won the title of the fastest runner in the world, receiving a nickname as fast as himself – 'Lightning'. Six-time Olympic champion, four-time record holder and just a spectacular man. For his unique achievements in athletics, he was awarded the title of 'champion of champions' from many eminent sports publications.
According to doctors and leading physiologists, Bolt has a unique muscle structure that sets him apart from other runners: in terms of physical indicators, he surpasses his rivals by a third. The persistent systematic training of the athlete also plays a role. The result is an incredibly powerful 'stride' when running – 2.6 m, which, even with an average start, practically leaves competitors no chance. This is the only athlete who managed to win gold at sprint distances of three Olympiads in a row (in 2008, 2012 and 2016) and become the owner of a record number of gold medals (11).
This fast runner won his last gold in Rio de Janeiro, planning at the same time to break his own record, but, unfortunately, he failed to do this. Having received a serious injury to the tendon, the athlete decided to end his career in professional sports. In addition to sporting achievements, Usain Bolt is also known as an avid car enthusiast and racer. In his honor, the brand Nissan has released a special car model – Premium Edition GT-R Bolt Gold.
Donald Lipicott is the first record holder in the short marathon
Rating: 4.9
Country: USA
Height: 178 cm.
Weight: 72 kg.
Records: running at a distance of 100 meters – 10.6 s
Back in 1912, the International Association of Athletics Federations was created (just a couple of days after the completion of the Olympic athletics program). The organization arose in connection with the urgent need for a governing body for athletics, which developed at that time by leaps and bounds: new running techniques were created and improved, the level of professional training of athletes increased, new, special diets for runners appeared.
Against the background of all this movement, there was an unceasing wave of records set by runners one after another: new, more impressive results appeared every 5-6 years. For a couple of decades, more than 18 athletes managed to be champions. Among them is Donald Lipicott. Only, unlike the others, he not only set a world record, but became the first runner in a short marathon who managed to do this and stayed at the top for 9 years.
At first glance, it may seem that the athlete's achievement is not so significant, but at that time such an indicator was impressive. In addition, in those days there were no special sports shoes for runners: they used leather sandals that could rub their feet a lot. And the advanced training programs actively used by modern athletes did not exist then either.
Donald Lipicott devoted his whole life to sports and, to his credit, 3 years after setting the record, he was able to beat it again by running the 100-meter as a member of the relay team.
Jesse Owens – Longest Record
Rating: 4.8
Country: USA
Height: 180 cm
Weight: 80 kg
Records: running at a distance of 100 meters – 10.2 s
The famous athlete and record holder of his time – Jesse Owens – became a four-time Olympic champion at the 1936 Games, winning the 100, 200 and 4×100 m distances, as well as the long jump. Such an incredible achievement was repeated only 48 years later: another American athlete Carl Lewis did it in 1984.
Jesse Owens became the real star of the 1936 Olympic Games held in Germany. Thus, somewhat overshadowing the triumph of the German national team and Hitler, who was present at the sporting event. According to legend, the athlete's victory angered the Fuhrer so much that he refused to shake Owens' hand. In fact, Hitler then did not greet anyone with a handshake, but limited himself only to a greeting from his box. According to the athlete himself, he was offended by the behavior of not the German leader at all, but his own president: Roosevelt did not even honor the Olympian with a greeting card.
Jesse Owens is currently considered the only athlete whose record has not been broken in the same record amount of time – as much as 20 years (!). Unfortunately, returning home to the States after a triumphant victory, the runner faced a harsh racist reality and worked hard for many years to somehow feed his family. Only 40 years later, he was publicly recognized in his own country: he was included in the US Athletics Hall of Fame, and a couple of years later, then President Ford awarded him the Medal of Freedom.
Kenenisa Bekele Beyecha – little Olympic marathon runner
Rating: 4.7
Country: Ethiopia
Height: 165 cm
Weight: 56 kg
Records: running 5,000 meters – 12: 37.35 minutes, running 10,000 meters – 26: 17.53 minutes
The great and fast Ethiopian runner is considered an unsurpassed marathon runner: he has practically no equal on long races (5 and 10 km). Three-time Olympic champion, 16-time winner of international cross-country competitions and five-time gold winner of world championships, the Ethiopian deservedly falls into the rating of the fastest people in the world, being one of the most titled athletes.
Bekele is a versatile runner who is equally at home on rough terrain as well as on the track. Last but not least, this is facilitated by the excellent distance run of the athlete, which allows him to achieve high results both at medium distance and in distance running, as well as the ability to accelerate in the last 500 meters of the marathon.
In the past few years, the athlete has rarely been seen on the treadmill: he decided to limit his physical activity due to injuries sustained throughout his career.
Michael Johnson is the most peculiar runner
Rating: 4.6
Country: USA
Height: 185 cm
Weight: 78 kg
Records: running at a distance of 200 m – 19.32 s; running at a distance of 400 m – 43.18 s
Four-time Olympic champion and 8-time world champion – Michael Johnson is without doubt the most famous athlete and sprinter of the 90s of the last century. This frequent “guest” of the Olympic Olympus is known not only for his will to win, but also for his original running style, which the rivals have friendly called “ridiculous”: the athlete runs with a straight back slightly bent back, the running step is small. No one, except him, no longer tried to try in practice such a tactic of movement on a treadmill, but for Johnson himself, as time has shown, it is very suitable.
The athlete retired back in 2000 after winning the 400 meters at the Sydney Olympic Games.After that, he worked as a sports commentator for a long time, and led a sports column in the renowned Daily Telegraph. Today he is known as the owner of Ultimate Performance, a sports management company.
David Lekuta Rudisha is the most promising runner
Rating: 4.5
Country: Kenya
Height: 188 cm
Weight: 71 kg
Records: running at a distance of 800 m – 1: 40.91 minutes
Two-time world, Olympic and African champion, two-time winner of the Diamond League, Rudisha is an athlete in full bloom and, despite an impressive list of awards, can still surprise. In 2010 he was recognized as the 'Athlete of the World' and is considered the youngest athlete awarded this title. This colorful representative of the Maasai people did not get into big sports by accident: he was inspired by the achievements of his own father, who was no less than a silver medalist at the Olympic Games.
The period from 2013 to 2014 can be called a bad runner. During this time, he received several injuries and actually thwarted his own plans to fully participate in international competitions due to problems with his knee and calf muscles. But already in 2015, he loudly recalled himself again, having brightly returned to duty: David managed to easily regain the world title by winning gold in the 800 m race.
Each of the heroes of the world treadmills presented in the rating differs from others in extraordinary willpower, outstanding physical data, original running style, etc. But they also have a common feature – an incredible desire to win that cannot be broken.
Attention! This rating is subjective and does not constitute an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.
