Usain Bolt tried to break unusual world record but failed due to Michael Johnson technicality
Usain Bolt is the GOAT when it comes to athletic’s sprint events. Boasting world records in the 100m and 200m men’s races has put him firmly on top of the world. Usain Bolt narrowly missed out on a unique world record in his pompGetty So if he is the greatest in those events, surely he’d be able to be the fastest-ever in a 300m event? Unfortunately not. The Jamaican star broke the world record in the 100m and 200m during the World Athletics Championships in Berlin in 2009. A time of 9.69 seconds in the 100m and 19.19 in the 200m ensured that his name was firmly in the history books as the ultimate record-breaker. Bolt tried to claim more world records during his prime too. He claimed the fastest time over 150m – a distance which isn’t official and isn’t usually contested at Championship level – before trying the 300m as well. The record over 300m was held by sprinting legend Michael Johnson. The American sprinter set the world record for the distance in 2000 at 30.85 seconds. Unfortunately Bolt was unable to break this record, completing the distance in 30.97 seconds. In a slight caveat, Johnson’s time had the benefit of altitude, which Bolt didn’t. It was Michael Johnson who held the record, which has since been beaten Bolt is still an icon despite falling short in the 300mAFP It means that Bolt had to settle for the fastest time ever, without altitude assistance. But despite holding eight Olympic medals, the 300m record title was one which evaded the Jamaican icon. In 2025, the record is now held by Wayde van Niekerk. The South African star – who currently holds the 400m world record – beat Johnson at the same time as Bolt attempted it with a time of 30.81 seconds. Still competing, the 200m and 400m sprinter is 32 years old and seemingly unlikely to break his own world record which he set at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
Usain Bolt is the GOAT when it comes to athletic’s sprint events.
Boasting world records in the 100m and 200m men’s races has put him firmly on top of the world.
So if he is the greatest in those events, surely he’d be able to be the fastest-ever in a 300m event?
Unfortunately not.
The Jamaican star broke the world record in the 100m and 200m during the World Athletics Championships in Berlin in 2009.
A time of 9.69 seconds in the 100m and 19.19 in the 200m ensured that his name was firmly in the history books as the ultimate record-breaker.
Bolt tried to claim more world records during his prime too.
He claimed the fastest time over 150m – a distance which isn’t official and isn’t usually contested at Championship level – before trying the 300m as well.
The record over 300m was held by sprinting legend Michael Johnson.
The American sprinter set the world record for the distance in 2000 at 30.85 seconds.
Unfortunately Bolt was unable to break this record, completing the distance in 30.97 seconds.
In a slight caveat, Johnson’s time had the benefit of altitude, which Bolt didn’t.
It means that Bolt had to settle for the fastest time ever, without altitude assistance.
But despite holding eight Olympic medals, the 300m record title was one which evaded the Jamaican icon.
In 2025, the record is now held by Wayde van Niekerk.
The South African star – who currently holds the 400m world record – beat Johnson at the same time as Bolt attempted it with a time of 30.81 seconds.
Still competing, the 200m and 400m sprinter is 32 years old and seemingly unlikely to break his own world record which he set at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
