Fastest 40 Yard Dash Time?
January 24, 2008 by Jimson Lee
The current world record for 60 meters is 6.39 seconds set twice by American Maurice Greene in 1998 and 2001.
Canadian Ben Johnson broke the WR in the 50 yard dash in a time of 5.15 seconds in January 1988.
The Fastest 40 Yard Dash?
It was reported Ben Johnson splits in his ill-famous 9.79 100 meter race in Seoul was 4.38 seconds for 40 yards, 5.52 seconds for 50 meters, and 60 meters in 6.37. Both the 50m and 60m were under the current world records for those distances at the time.
At the 2001 World Championship 100m final in Edmonton, Maurice Greene covered 30m in 3.75 seconds and 40m in 4.64 seconds, extrapolating his 40 yard (36.576m) time at about 4.24 seconds.
These 2 times and races include reaction time, anywhere from 0.100 to 0.150 seconds.
There are several differences between a track 40 and a football 40 yard dash:
- Surfaces. Comparing Mondo vs. Grass vs. Astroturf; football cleats vs. spikes.
- We all know converting a hand time to FAT is 0.24 seconds.
- As well, most football 40 yard dash don’t go on a starter’s pistol but on an athlete’s motion or breaking a beam (also dependent on the athlete). The average reaction time among elite sprinters from the gun to the moment they exert pressure on the starting block’s electronic pads is about .15 seconds, and anything less than 0.10 seconds is considered a false start. We all remember Lindford Christie’s false start in 1996 Olympics. The rule he “preached” because of Ben Johnson in 1988 was the same “rule” that got him DQ’ed in the Olympic final! The irony!
The fastest 40 yard I recall was the “4.17″ by Deion Sanders. If that is a hand time, that makes 4.2 (rounded up) or 4.44 FAT (by adding 0.24 from hand to FAT).
Here’s a video of a 4.33 Reggie Bush 40 Yard Dash.
I still remember the 1990 NFL Draft when Blair Thomas, with a 4.4 40 yard dash, was picked second by the New York Jets, and Emmitt Smith ran a 4.7 and was picked 17th. We all know what Emmitt Smith did after College, right?
All I know is anything 4-mid or faster is fast. There’s a difference between a 4.5 and 5.5.
I wonder what Dwain Chambers could run?
Share and Enjoy
Related Posts:
- Fabian Washington 4.29 Fastest 40 Yard Dash?
- Reggie Bush 40 Yard Dash - Fastest 4.33?
- Speed Linking - Complete Guide to the 40 Yard Dash
- Justin Gatlin 4.42 40 Yard Dash
- Video on How to Improve Your 40 Yard Dash
Free Speedendurance.com Newsletter:
Sign up for the free Speedendurance.com newsletter. It contains a quick summary of the best articles since the last newsletter, product reviews and discounts to various sports related vendors, and it may contain controversial topics that I cannot post publicly on this Blog. Your email address will be kept confidential and won't be shared. Easily unsubscribe at any time. Newsletters are sent about once a month.
Comments
Got something to say?
Latest Articles & Headlines
