Usain Bolt versus Carl Lewis is the sprint GOAT debate that divides athletics fans across generations. Usain Bolt is the fastest human being in recorded history — the world record holder over 100m and 200m with times that remain untouched nearly two decades after they were set. His 9.58 seconds over 100m at the 2009 Berlin World Championships is one of the greatest athletic achievements in human history. Carl Lewis won 9 Olympic gold medals across four Games, dominated sprinting and long jump for over a decade, and demonstrated a consistency and longevity that Bolt never quite matched. Who is the greatest sprinter of all time?
