Usain Bolt could reportedly lose his long-standing 100m world record if World Athletics makes a controversial regulation change.
Jamaican legend Bolt has held the world record in the 100m event since 2008.
Bolt first broke the world record when he set a time of 9.72 seconds at a Grand Prix meet in New York.
The Jamaican then went quicker at the Beijing 2008 Olympics, running a time of 9.69 in the 100m final.
A year later, Bolt broke his own world record again when he clocked 9.58 at the 2009 World Athletics Championships in Berlin.
Since then, many have tried and failed to get close to the Jamaican’s record, raising questions over whether the time will ever be bettered.
However, it has now been claimed that Bolt’s record could be beaten if a ‘super track’ gets the green light from World Athletics.
What is a ‘super track’?
As reported by The Telegraph, a laboratory near Cambridge believes the impossible could be achieved.
Hong Kong-born sprinter turned entrepreneur, Alvina Chen, who has worked with a British-based team of experts across physics, maths, electrical and mechanical engineering, chemistry and manufacturing, has overseen the world’s first digital ‘smart’ track.
It has been suggested that its sensors can ‘provide a raft of real-time data that would be transformative to athletes, coaches, fans and media, but early testing has pointed to an energy return that is some 20 per cent greater than existing tracks’.
Usain Bolt is often regarded as the world’s greatest-ever sprinter.
Can the ‘super track’ lead to Usain Bolt’s world record being broken?
Chen, who founded Feldspar, explained: “There is the potential for early nine seconds if not sub nine seconds for a human. We see how running shoes have evolved a lot, training methods and nutrition… but one thing that hasn’t changed pretty much is the track surface – that hasn’t changed for like 60 years, from the 1968 Olympics.
“We believe we are creating the first major advancement. With our track, we anticipate that it will be 20 per cent faster than the Paris Olympic track, depending on athlete ability and external conditions. Our vision is to have the track become the universal standard all over the world. We have the world’s fastest running surface.”
The report also stated that ‘positive talks’ have been held with World Athletics with regard to ratifying Feldspar’s “super track”.
Head of sprints and relays at British Athletics, Darren Campbell, joined Feldspar last year and believes the ‘super track’ can be beneficial.
He said: “We are going into an era when technology is at the forefront of every sport. When you start trying to immerse people into athletics, you are going to have to educate them and bring them on the journey.
“I’ve always watched Formula 1 but now I can see how it is easier for someone to get into because there is so much data. One of the only sports where I’d go, ‘Where is the technology?’ would be athletics. When did we last have some form of technology that isn’t a shoe? This is the innovation I feel that athletics has been waiting for. All of a sudden nine seconds doesn’t seem crazy.”
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