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Thursday, 9 September 2010

Speedendurance.com

Shortest and Fastest World Records: 50 meter and 50 Yards

Posted: 08 Sep 2010 09:00 AM PDT

With all the talk about Football's 40 yard dash, Basketball's 75 feet 3/4 court sprint, and Baseball's 60 yard dash, let's take a look at some obscure world record or world best SHORT racing distances.

Swimming has their version of the 50 meter "splash and dash".

Here are the world records or world best for the shortest known distances less than 100 meters.

50 yards — Stanley Floyd, United States, 5.22, Jan. 22, 1982.
50 meters — Donovan Bailey, Canada, 5.56, Feb. 9, 1996
60 yards — Lee McRae, United States, 6.00, March 14, 1986.
60 meters — Maurice Greene, United States, 6.39, Feb. 3, 1998.

One of my earliest memories of the 50 yard dash was Kirk Clayton's 5.0 (5.24 FAT) in 1970. Clayton was one of Bud Winter's Speed City prodigies. That mark was eclipsed by Stanley Floyd's 5.22. 50 yards = 45.72 meters. Now that is short!

On another note, Donovan Bailey was not noted to be a good starter, yet he holds the WR for 50m! Rumour has it he was accused of a flying start that was not called back.

What would Usain Bolt Run for 50 meters and 50 Yards?

Take a look at 10 meter split times:

It is obvious today's sprinters are faster and stronger with better spikes and harder tracks.

If Usain Bolt is ever going to hold 11 world record simultaneously, he'll need to run obscure race distances, such as the 50 meter and 60 meter indoors. Based on his splits from Beijing 2008 and Berlin 2009, he would certainly be under the listed world records should he run indoors. The only requirement would be extra large and extra tall crash mats.

In fast, he could run a 60m and set up 4 independent timing systems to get 4 WR all at once. Now that's a promoter's dream.

Based on past splits, BOLT would demolish all 4 WR in a single race: the 50 yards, 50 meters, 60 yards, 60 meters with times of 5.11, 5.47, 5.87 and 6.29 respectively.