Usain Bolt is the fastest man in recorded history—but how would he hold up against a literal racing dog? Thanks to a new 3D simulation, we finally have an answer to the question nobody really needed answered: who would win in a 100-meter race, Bolt or a greyhound?
Spoiler: it’s not the human.
The video, which has been making the rounds online, pits Bolt’s legendary 9.58-second sprint from the 2009 World Championships in Berlin against the natural speed of a greyhound. It turns out, even the greatest sprinter in Olympic history can’t outrun a purpose-built dog rocket.
Who’s Faster: Bolt or a Greyhound? This Simulation Ends the Debate.
Bolt, who retired in 2017 with eight Olympic gold medals and both the 100m and 200m world records, hit top speeds of around 27.8 mph (44.7 km/h) during his record-setting dash. That’s fast enough to dust literally any other human on Earth—but it’s not enough to beat a greyhound, which can clock over 47 mph (77 km/h) at full speed.
The simulation shows Bolt starting strong, surging out of the blocks with the power and precision that made him a legend. But the greyhound barely breaks a metaphorical sweat, blowing past him by at least 2–3 seconds by the time it hits the finish line. No contest.
It’s a humbling reminder of just how different human limits are from the animal kingdom’s top-tier athletes. Greyhounds, bred for speed with long legs, aerodynamic bodies, and insanely flexible spines, are basically biological race cars. Meanwhile, the fastest humans—while elite in our own lane—just aren’t built to compete at that level of pure velocity.
Still, Bolt’s record remains untouched, and probably will for a while. Even sprinting phenoms like 17-year-old Gout Gout—who’s already being heralded as the next Bolt—have a long road ahead. But Gout is already making history: the Aussie youngster now stands alone as the fastest 16-year-old half-lap runner of all time, clocking a 200m sprint that beat Bolt’s record at the same age. Bolt ran 20.13 seconds at 16; Gout came in just under a tenth of a second faster. Bolt’s legacy is safe—for now. But the next generation is closing in.
So no, humans won’t be outrunning racing dogs anytime soon. But speed isn’t everything. Greyhounds might win the race, but they don’t strike poses, flash gold shoes, or light up stadiums like Bolt. The dog may be faster—but only one of them changed the sport forever.
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