Usain Bolt is widely regarded as the best sprinter of all time, but if you ever wondered just how many animals he is faster than, we have the answer.
No, don’t worry, we haven’t actually lined Bolt himself next to a series of animals on a real life track.
Bolt was the best in the world at the peak of his careerGetty
He’s now retired – but fans are still putting him to the test in simulationsYouTube
Thankfully a 3D simulation has done that job for us… so need for all the logistical issues and animal welfare dilemmas of putting Bolt to the test in real life.
It turns out you can pretty much race anyone against each other thanks to the wonders of modern technology.
We’ve already shown you the result of Cristiano Ronaldo, Bolt and an ostrich – yes, an ostrich – would get on against each other in a 100m race.
Bolt has also gone against the world’s fastest dog in the simulation world.
The Jamaican set the men’s world record for the 100m in 2009 with a time of 9.58 seconds.
So, what other animals would the eight-time Olympic champion edge in a sprint?
This cartoon simulation shows an animated version of Bolt racing along a running track.
Bolt runs at an average speed of 23 miles per hour, with a top speed of 27 mph.
First he’s put to the test against a pig, who can trot as fast as 11 mph – so the Jamaican unsurprisingly takes the lead.
A squirrel comes next, with it scampering just 1 mph faster than the cartoon pig.
Bolt sees off the fast-running bird the roadrunnerYouTube
He’s faster than our furry friend the Jack RussellYouTube
After beating the acorn lover, Bolt then storms past an elephant going at 15 mph.
A roadrunner then comes along at 20 mph, but of course, he doesn’t match up to Bolt’s speed either.
A Jack Russell, presumably chasing its favourite ball in a park, gets up to 25 mph, but that doesn’t go past Bolt’s peak of 27 mph.
We never knew a Jack Russell was faster than a roadrunner, but you learn something new every day!
Steering away from the animals, the simulation illustrates just how fast Bolt compared to everyday sightings.
This time, they use a ‘car in a school zone’ going 25 mph.
The vehicle is still no match, though.
So, next time you’re running late on the school run and want to drop your kids off at the school gates in time, giving Bolt a call will be much more effective than crawling through the traffic.
