Jamaica's Usain Bolt starts a Men's 200m first round heat during the World Athletics Championships in Berlin on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2009. AP Photo/David J. Phillip
According to a team of biomechanics, physiologists and sports scientists at the University of Wyoming, the answer is yes – a 4.8 100 metre time is within the realms of possibility.
Previously, accepted wisdom maintained that sprinting speed was controlled by the capability of the legs to sustain a limited amount of force as they strike the running surface, but now science is thinking that it comes down to concentric muscle contraction, an effect which occurs when a muscle shortens.
In the opinion of the researchers, this ability could be developed to such a degree that Usain Bolt’s record-breaking speed of around 27 mph could be increased by a future sprinter to something closer to 40 mph.
As a rugby fan, my first thought is what happens when a future Joe Rokocoko, traveling at 40 mph, gets hit by a covering player, say a future Rob Horne, who’s also traveling at 40 mph?
Rugby teams are going to need bigger squads!
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