A recent 3D simulation compared the running abilities of Cristiano Ronaldo, Usain Bolt, and an ostrich, showing how each would fare in a 100-meter dash at their top recorded speeds. Usain Bolt, the fastest competitive sprinter in history, set the 100-meter world record in 2009 at the Berlin World Championships with a time of 9.58 seconds and a peak speed of 27.8 mph between 60 and 80 meters. His eight Olympic gold medals, all won in the Beijing, London, and Rio de Janeiro Olympics, secured his reputation as an all-time athletic legend.
Cristiano Ronaldo, a renowned footballer known for his speed on the pitch, achieved a top speed of 33.9 km/h (around 21 mph) at his peak and was recorded reaching 32.7 km/h at 39 years old during the Euro 2024 tournament, making him one of the fastest players in football history.
In the simulation, an ostrich joined the race. Scientists have documented that ostriches can maintain speeds of 30–37 mph and sprint up to 43 mph, far surpassing human sprinters. The simulated race saw the ostrich finishing first with a time of 7.3 seconds. Usain Bolt followed with a simulated time of 9.53 seconds, just shy of his record-breaking time. Ronaldo completed the race in 11.22 seconds, showcasing his impressive speed even though it falls short of elite sprinters.
Another simulation featured Bolt racing against the next fastest humans in history, such as Tyson Gay and Yohan Blake. Even in various hypothetical scenarios, Bolt consistently maintained his lead, with Gay and Blake finishing close together. In the 200m simulation, current sprinter Noah Lyles, who recently won gold in the 100m at the Paris Olympics, also competed but was ultimately overtaken by Bolt.
Prior to the Olympics, Bolt expressed admiration for current sprinters like Lyles, acknowledging the intensity of competing in both the 100m and 200m events. He suggested that with some adjustments, Lyles has the potential to approach his record, though he emphasized the difficulty of sustaining energy across multiple events.