Olympic legend Usain Bolt gives us an athlete’s perspective on the multiple key phases of a 100m sprint.

Bolt, the first athlete to do the ‘double double’ by winning 100m and 200m sprint titles at consecutive Games explains how each segment of the race is important.

PLEASE NOTE

There is obviously much more than this to coaching the 100m sprint… There is obviously much more than this to coaching the 100m sprint… However, I find it interesting to listen to Usain Bolt giving his own simple account! Here’s a more detailed breakdown of 100m technique and coaching points

100M SPRINT – USAIN BOLT’S DESCRIPTION

The Start: Bolt describes how important reaction time is to him, as overall he explains that he generally starts poorly. Even if his first couple of steps aren’t as quick as those around him, a quick reaction to the gun can keep him in the race.

0m – 30m: Drive Phase – Keep your body forward, head down and drive hard!

30m – 50m: Head comes up, lift your posture, run tall and pick your knees up and hold your shoulders down. Continue accelerating to top speed.

50m – 100m: Sprinting at top speed. Bolt describes how he glances left and right at 50m to check his position in the race, and again around 85m.

“Sixty meters, that’s when I become a beast. That’s when I start to dominate a race!”

It’s the capacity to maintain maximum velocity for longer than his opponents, by maintaining his huge stride length and great leg speed, than enables Bolt to become such a ‘beast’ from 60m to the Finish line… or more often, until where he takes his foot off the gas, having decided the race is already won!

Last updated on March 28th, 2019.