100 YEARS OF MEN’S SPRINTING: Technological Progress and Human Potential
Photo of Harold Abrahams from an album of various sprint races and finals he participated in, 1921–1926 / bonhams.com
At the 1924 Paris Olympics, Harold Abrahams completed the 100-meter sprint in 10.6 seconds. Exactly one hundred years later, in the same city, Noah Lyles clocked a time of 9.784 seconds. The difference is just 0.8 seconds. All the scientific discoveries, advancements in medicine and technology, innovations in sports, and the fact that today’s top athletes are selected from 8 billion people compared to 1.6 billion in the last century have resulted in an improvement of only fractions of a second.
The 100-meter sprint is one of the most spectacular sports disciplines, serving as a measure of the limits of human potential. Over time, stadiums, equipment, training methods, and nutrition approaches have evolved, yet the question of how to significantly improve athletes’ performance remains pressing. Let us explore how the evolution of sports and technology has influenced sprinting results over the past 100 years — from the 1924 Paris Olympics to the same Games in Paris in 2024.
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
In 1924, at the Paris Olympics, British sprinter Harold Abrahams won with a time of 10.6 seconds. At the time, this was considered an extraordinary achievement. The athlete ran on a cinder track made of ash, sand, and clay, wearing what we now see as primitive footwear — leather spiked shoes.
Back then, sprinters’ training relied on basic knowledge of human physiology, which today is viewed as outdated. Achieving such speed was a feat, as athletes had almost no access to modern advancements in medicine and sports science.
Fast forward a hundred years, and American sprinter Noah Lyles ran 100 meters in 9.784 seconds. At first glance, this difference may seem minor, but these fractions of a second are the result of a century of technological and scientific progress that has transformed the sports industry.
TRACK SURFACE TECHNOLOGIES
One key area of transformation has been the quality of track surfaces. In 1924, tracks were made of compacted clay and sand, which created significant resistance during push-off.
In 1968, at the Mexico City Olympics, synthetic tracks were introduced, immediately delivering results. Today, stadiums feature state-of-the-art track surfaces that minimize resistance and maximize energy return for runners.
For instance, during the 1968 Olympics, American sprinter Jim Hines became the first man to break the 10-second barrier, setting a record of 9.95 seconds. This was not only due to training but also to the introduction of new track surfaces and improved footwear technology.
FOOTWEAR AND SPORTS GEAR
Significant breakthroughs have also occurred in the field of sports equipment. In the early 20th century, athletes wore simple leather shoes with metal spikes, often heavier than today’s running spikes. Modern sprinting shoes are made from lightweight synthetic materials such as carbon fiber, which not only reduces their weight but also improves grip and energy return.
One striking example of this innovation is the footwear designed specifically for Usain Bolt, the fastest man on the planet (9.58 seconds, 2009 record). Puma created unique spikes weighing just 149 grams, which helped Bolt achieve his phenomenal performance.
SCIENTIFIC APPROACH TO TRAINING
Another critical factor is the progress in sports science. In the 1920s, training was largely intuitive, with coaches relying more on experience than scientific data. Modern training is based on individualized plans tailored to each athlete’s physiology, biomechanics, and genetics. Tools like computer motion simulations, blood flow analysis, and oxygen level monitoring are commonly used.
Athletes now benefit from support from dieticians, nutritionists, and pharmacologists, allowing for faster recovery and peak performance during competitions. Supplements, cryotherapy, and oxygen treatments have become routine in athlete preparation. Advanced recovery methods, from massage to cryotherapy, are also widely used.
STATISTICS AND GENETICS
Another important factor is the growth in the global population. In 1924, the world’s population was about 1.6 billion, compared to over 8 billion in 2024. This means the pool of potential champions has expanded significantly. However, despite increased competition, records have not improved as dramatically as one might expect, suggesting that human physiological limits may be at play.
Research shows that genetics plays a crucial role in sprinting. Individuals with specific muscle fiber types — fast-twitch fibers — are more likely to achieve outstanding results. Athletes like Bolt and Lyles possess unique genetic combinations that contribute to their speed, explosive power, and recovery.
ХХХ
Over the past 100 years, progress in the 100-meter sprint has amounted to just 0.8 seconds despite all scientific and technological advancements. This underscores how close we are to the limits of human potential. Yet, even such a slight improvement requires tremendous efforts from scientists, coaches, and athletes. Whether we can ever break the 9.5-second barrier remains an open question.
