While most of you know the Men’s 50m and 60m indoor WR were set by Mo Greene with times of 5.56 and 6.39 respectively, did you ever wonder who had the fastest official recorded splits for the outdoor equivalents?
By the way, I’m not counting the 5.56 of Donovan Bailey’s possible false start that was never called back, as well as it was set in altitude.
I talked about the 50 meter and 50 yard world records in this article.
Without those crash pads that can psychologically slow you down in an indoor 50 or 60, surely the times would be faster? (Okay, I will stop calling you Shirley).
Who peaks in March when you peak for August?
The Answer
The answer for the fastest outdoor official recorded splits for 50 and 60 meters is 5.53 and 6.38 (+0.2 m/s) set by Bruny Surin at the 1999 WC in Seville, Spain.
Of course, these splits are funeral compared to the unofficial splits of Usain Bolt’s 5.47 and 6.29 set in Berlin 2009 WC.
I am surprised we don’t see more split times at track meets, like the 100 yards, because the timing equipment would come from the official timekeepers.
If you love track trivia and all the obscure world records, see:
- Usain Bolt misses 100 Yard World Record
- How to Increase Indoor Track Attendance & TV Coverage
- Shortest and Fastest World Records: 50 meter and 50 Yards
- How to Race the Indoor 600 meters
- What is a Swedish Relay?
The IAAF published a study showing a split time of 6.31 for Bolt in Berlin, see http://berlin.iaaf.org/news/kind=101/newsid=53084.html. That seems about as ‘official’ as one can get.
The Ostrava Golden Spike meet included a 100yard measurement during the 100m this year. VCB went 9.91.
IN the same biomechanical study, it says that Shelly Ann Fraser got to 60m in 6.88 in the 2009 Berlin final. IN flojo’s 10.49WR she supposedly got to 60m in 6.89
Haha strange that I’m replying to someone with the same name as Myself! Nevertheless – Yes Shelly Ann 60m was 6.88 in Berlin (10.73).. Marion Jones has fastest recorded with 6.85 (10.70 in Sevilla ’99 World Champs Final).
Watching the London Women’s final last year and I was impressed with Shelly Ann’s maintenance 60-100m which seems to be much improved from her 2008-2009 races. If she can get out like she did in Berlin with her new-improved 60-100m ability she will run 10.65
@Sprint Enthusiast, yes, I am looking forward to the women’s races this year. At least they don’t duck each other.