What Surprises Me about The Past Century of Olympic Sprinting

The Olympics are fascinating, aren't they? The best of the best from all over the world come together to showcase the pinnacle of human athletic ability. One of the biggest attractions at the Olympics is the 100-metre sprint. It tests the most fundamental of athletic skills—sheer speed. There's something primal and thrilling about it.

It made me think. The Olympics have been around for a long time, and the last 100 years in particular have seen huge advances in sports science. Surely these advances must have led to significant improvements, right?

I couldn't help but wonder how far we have come since 100 years ago, in 1924, when British runner Harold Abrahams won gold in the 100 metres. How far is the gap between now and then?

Remember, there's a century of innovation in human performance between these two eras. In the 1920s, shoes were made of goatskin with no energy transfer. Now they're made with breathable textile uppers, professional foam for optimal energy return, and carbon fibre plates for explosive speed.

The track surfaces have evolved too. Back then, tracks were made of cinder or clay, with poor grip and traction, and minimal energy return. Now, we have tracks made of materials like Mondo, a vulcanized rubber that provides optimal traction and speed.

Even the starting blocks have come a long way. Sprinters used to dig holes in the ground for their feet. Now, they use precision-engineered blocks for the perfect start.

There have been huge improvements in training as well. Today's science-based training techniques are light-years ahead of the rudimentary methods used 100 years ago. Nutrition, sleep, recovery—every aspect of an athlete's life is now optimised for peak performance. An overlooked fact to consider: many African countries, ones that have a strong presence in the sprinting events today, did not have the capacity to develop talent like they do now.

So, with all these advancements, how much faster have sprinters become? In 2024, Noah Lyles took gold with a blazing 9.784 seconds.

So how much faster was he than Harold who competed in 1924?

The answer is roughly 0.8 seconds. Harold completed the race in 10.6 seconds compared to the current Olympic gold medalist who was only 0.816 seconds faster.

A century of tireless innovation, countless billions invested, for less than a second of advancement. But oh, what a fraction of a second it is. In the world of elite sprinting, 0.8 seconds is the difference between legendary and forgotten, between glory and obscurity.

As entrepreneurs, we can learn a lot from this relentless pursuit of marginal gains. In the world of business, as in sprinting, the competition is fierce and the stakes are high. The difference between success and failure is often measured in fractions—a slightly better product, a more efficient process, and a more compelling brand.

This is where technology and data become crucial allies. In the same way that sprinters now rely on high-tech shoes and tracks to shave off fractions of a second, entrepreneurs can leverage cutting-edge tech and data analytics to optimise every aspect of their business.

With tools like AI, machine learning, and big data, businesses can gain insights and efficiencies that were unimaginable just a decade ago, let alone a century ago. They can automate processes, personalise customer experiences, and make data-driven decisions in real-time.

Like Olympians, the best entrepreneurs are obsessed with optimisation. They understand that success is the sum of a thousand small improvements. They tirelessly seek out ways to shave seconds off their processes, to squeeze extra performance out of their teams, to gain an inch on their rivals.

But the pursuit of marginal gains is not just about tactics - it's a mindset, a way of being. It's about never being satisfied, about always pushing for better, even when you're already the best. It's about understanding that the race is never truly won; there's always another second to shave off, another competitor to outpace.

This is the paradox of entrepreneurship, as it is of sprinting: the closer you get to the limits of what's possible, the harder you have to work for ever-smaller gains. But it's in this struggle that greatness is forged.

In the end, entrepreneurship, like sprinting, is a test of not just speed, but of character. It's about having the courage to put yourself on the line and the resilience to keep pushing when the gains are hard-won.