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Is Sha’Carri Richardson actually faster than Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe? 3D simulation puts theory to the test
A 3D simulation has sensationally revealed how an 100-meter dash between Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe and one of the fastest women of all time Sha’Carri Richardson would go.
In March, sprint legend Usain Bolt ignited a heated debate when he dismissed claims that French football star Kylian Mbappe had clocked a time close to his own 100-meter world record.
Mbappe, one of football’s fastest players, reportedly ran 100 meters in 10.9 seconds during a match. This is a full second slower than Bolt’s lightning-fast 9.58 seconds, which remains the world record.
The debate began when UK broadcaster BBC Sport highlighted the speed comparison, suggesting that Mbappe’s time of 10.9 seconds was “just over a second” behind Bolt’s record.
However, Bolt quickly shut down the comparison, pointing out that Mbappe’s time wouldn’t even rank him among the fastest women in track and field, stating bluntly, “The girls are running faster than that.”
To settle the debate, Motion Athlete, a sports analysis group, ran a simulation to pit Mbappe against one of the world’s fastest female sprinters, Sha’Carri Richardson.
Richardson, who boasts a personal best of 10.65 seconds, is the sixth-fastest woman in history. The simulation aimed to see how Mbappe would fare against a top-tier sprinter like Richardson if both raced under similar conditions.
According to the simulation, Mbappe’s best potential track time would be around 10.75 seconds. However, factoring in reaction time—a critical element in track events—his race time would rise to 11.02 seconds.
Various sources, including givemesport.com, suggested Mbappe could achieve a 10.60 time, while a discussion involving professional athletes on Reddit estimated his best at around 10.81 seconds. Aggregating these estimates, Mbappe’s top speed over 100 meters still fell short of Richardson’s personal best.
The simulated race revealed that Richardson, despite her historically slow starts, would edge out the Real Madrid forward.
Her elite top-end speed, which helped her earn a silver medal in the 100 meters at the Paris 2024 Olympics, allowed her to close the gap and take the lead after 50 meters, ultimately beating Mbappe to the finish line.
While Mbappe’s speed on the football pitch is undeniable, the simulation reaffirmed Bolt’s statement that elite female sprinters outpace even the fastest footballers. Mbappe’s time places him far from the top of global track rankings, proving that while he’s fast in football terms, he’s still behind the world’s best sprinters.
Ultimately, Bolt’s comment that “the girls are running faster than that” holds true, and the simulation leaves little doubt that Richardson’s sprinting prowess would surpass Mbappe on the track.
Reigning 100m Olympic champion Julien Alfred has opened up on how she has learnt how to deal with pressure since turning fully professional in 2024
Alfred’s final year as a collegiate athlete was at the 2023 NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships where she claimed the 100m and 200m individual titles before being a vital part of her 4x100m relay team that claimed top honours.
The Olympic 200m silver medallist told Citius Mag that saying she is a professional athlete puts pressure on her to be perfect in her races, something that she does not like. Alfred prefers referring to herself as a human being who just loves running, giving room for her to make mistakes and learn from them.
