Usain Bolt wants his 100m record to be broken and names ‘perfect’ person to do it

Feb 1, 2026 - 16:30
Usain Bolt wants his 100m record to be broken and names ‘perfect’ person to do it

Usain Bolt believes his 100m record will not be broken any time soon – but he knows who he wants to eventually topple him.

The Olympic icon has held the fastest time ever in the 100m for 17 years, making history with his remarkable 9.58-second sprint.

Usain Bolt poses with his world record time
No one has come close to breaking Bolt’s incredible 100m world record
Getty

He achieved the feat at the World Athletics Championships in 2009 and no one has ever managed to beat the time.

Yohan Blake and Tyson Gay previously came close, with USA superstar Noah Lyles seemingly the most likely to test Bolt’s record now.

However, the Jamaican legend doesn’t think anyone can break it – at least not any time in the near future.

Speaking exclusively to talkSPORT, Bolt discussed whether there was a possibility his 9.58-second 100m record could be beaten.

“I don’t think so, the record is going to take a while to go,” he replied.

Bolt then went on to pick out who he wants to eventually see take over from him in the athletics history books.

The 39-year-old said: “Hopefully one of my boys will grow and become a speedster and go and break the record, that’d be perfect.

“But right now, I don’t see anyone getting to the world record.”

Bolt has twin sons, one named Saint Leo and the other Thunder.

They were born in June 2021 and are only four years old, so he’s going to have to wait a while to see his ‘perfect’ scenario play out.

Usain Bolt celebrates world record in 2009
Bolt doesn’t think anyone will break his 100m record anytime soon
Getty
Usain Bolt with his family
But he’s hoping that his kids will grow up to take his crown on the track
Instagram / usainbolt

Usain Bolt’s kids

Bolt and his long-time girlfriend, Kasi Bennett, welcomed their two sons almost five years ago.

Saint Leo and Thunder were born in 2021, one year after their sister, the very aptly-named Olympia Lightning Bolt.

The sprinting icon has previously spoken about how he is hopeful that one of his children can follow in his footsteps.

He told Men’s Journal in 2021: “I hope one of them does…I would love any one of them to do track and field, but I won’t force anybody if they want to go in a different direction.”

Bolt also admitted to People Magazine: “For me, anything they want to do, I’m just going to support them.

“That’s always a key thing: Just support your child in whatever they want to do. So if they don’t want to run, if they don’t want to do sports, I’m okay with it.”

Usain Bolt racing
Bolt is hopeful that his kids will follow in his footsteps, but he won’t force them
AFP

Who has come closest to breaking Bolt’s record?

No 100m sprinter has ever come close to Bolt’s 9.58 seconds.

The second-fastest time in the race came in September 2009, with America’s Gay recording a 9.69-second run.

Blake and fellow Jamaican Asafa Powell have registered 9.69 seconds and 9.72 seconds respectively during their careers.

Justin Gatlin is fifth in the all-time 100m list with 9.74 seconds.

And the most recent entry into the top 10 times was Kishane Thompson at the Jamaican Championships last year.

Thompson ran a 9.75 in the 100m in his home country.

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