Usain Bolt, long considered the undisputed king of sprinting, has seen one of his long-standing achievements surpassed amid new developments in track and field.
While Bolt still holds the world records in both the 100m (9.58 seconds) and 200m sprints and has eight Olympic gold medals to his name, South African sprinter Akani Simbine recently edged past one of Bolt’s career milestones. Simbine became the first athlete to run sub-10 seconds in the 100m for 11 consecutive years, surpassing Bolt’s streak of 10 straight seasons. The feat was achieved at the 2025 Botswana Grand Prix, where Simbine ran a world-leading 9.90 seconds.
Bolt has often named his fellow Jamaican Oblique Seville coached by his own former trainer as the most likely athlete to break his iconic records, despite other rising names like Noah Lyles and Gout Gout entering the conversation.
However, technological innovation may pose the biggest threat to Bolt’s record. A new type of running surface, described as a “super track,” could drastically reduce sprint times. Designed by Hong Kong-born athlete Alvina Chen and her team at Feldspar, the track integrates sensors and cutting-edge materials that could make it up to 20% faster than the surface used at the Paris Olympics.
Chen believes such technology could lead to sprinters breaking the 9-second barrier, potentially toppling Bolt’s long-unbeaten time. The track, developed near Cambridge, is reportedly in advanced discussions with World Athletics for future approval.
Notably, Tyson Gay the second fastest man ever shared his enthusiasm for the project on Instagram, while former British Olympic champion Darren Campbell joined Feldspar in 2024 to guide global track strategy.
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