Anton Bolt V Messi

KeithReilly

No its not a "which is the best sportsman in the world thread"

I read in one of the papers over the last few days that Messi is just as fast as Bolt over the first 30metres (I may be incorrect in the exact distance quoted but it was something like that).

Now taking into account this may well be very inaccurate anyway, I would still like to know if the starting accelaration of COULD be the same for both given that there would be a big difference in height. Bolt would have a longer stride I'd imagine but I'm thinking this would only come to the fore the further he runs and is not necessarily an advantage at the start of the race.

On a sidenote what was the preceived perfect height for 100m sprinters before Bolt came along, was it 5ft 11 or 6ft?

Have their being any examples past or present of top class short sprinters?

thirtyfoot

KeithReilly wrote: »

No its not a "which is the best sportsman in the world thread"

I read in one of the papers over the last few days that Messi is just as fast as Bolt over the first 30metres (I may be incorrect in the exact distance quoted but it was something like that).

Now taking into account this may well be very inaccurate anyway, I would still like to know if the starting accelaration of COULD be the same for both given that there would be a big difference in height. Bolt would have a longer stride I'd imagine but I'm thinking this would only come to the fore the further he runs and is not necessarily an advantage at the start of the race.

On a sidenote what was the preceived perfect height for 100m sprinters before Bolt came along, was it 5ft 11 or 6ft?

Have their being any examples past or present of top class short sprinters?

You always get this debate when someone looks fast on a pitch, whether rugby, NFL (with some justification) and soccer. I'll do a George Hook on this and say that if Messi got within an asses roar of Bolt (or any top sprinter) over 30m then I'd eat my tie if I had one. If you stand near a top sprinter when they come out of the blocks you will agree. TV doesn't do it justice. Its like standing at the end of the runway in an airport when a 747 is taking off, serious explosive power!

Bolt ran 3.78secs for the 30m in Beijing and Berlin. The fastest 'small' man and most explosive of starters, Ben Johnson, ran 3.80secs in his Seoul run. The thought that Bolt is a slow starter because of his height is crap. As Tom Tellez will say a good start is not the guy who is first up jumping out of the blocks but the guy who is still accelerating at 50 or 60m. Bolt is faster than any man ever over probably 20-100m. Johnson might have beaten him to 10m but then again if Johnson was in a race with Bolt I'd nearly expect Bolt to raise his game and take him at 10m also.

Bottom line - Messi is zippy for a footballer, but would be slow for a sprinter. Unless of course they timed him with fully electronic timing, from a stopped start and there wasn't a wind up his arse!

Pherekydes

Who does Anton Bolt play for?

Seriously, these sorts of comparisons are not funny. Let's get it on on the track. Only way to compare.

P.S. Usain Bolt was leading at 30m in Berlin. So much for being slow out of the blocks.

P.S.S. Johnson was not exactly short at 5'11", hence Tingle's use of inverted commas around small above. Mo Green was around 5'9", which seems to be the lower limit for world class 100m guys. Big guys like Bolt and his buddy, Powell, have learned to start properly, so the game is up for shortarses.

woodchopper

What a load of utter rubbish. Its like saying that A GAA player has a great engine surely they would be able to keep up with the Kenyans if they chose to participate in Athletics rather than a field sport. Such comparisons are ridculous, naive and extremely disrespectful to world class athletes. Never mind Bolt I bet anyone racing in the national 100 metre final in Santry would hammer Messi in a 30 meter sprint. Thread should be scraped for stupidity

Pisco Sour

woodchopper wrote: »

What a load of utter rubbish. Its like saying that A GAA player has a great engine surely they would be able to keep up with the Kenyans if they chose to participate in Athletics rather than a field sport. Such comparisons are ridculous, naive and extremely disrespectful to world class athletes. Never mind Bolt I bet anyone racing in the national 100 metre final in Santry would hammer Messi in a 30 meter sprint. Thread should be scraped for stupidity

Spot on! Why do people try make these idiotic comparisons?! A person who plays football for a living is NEVER going to be anywhere near as fast as the WORLD RECORD HOLDER for 100 and 200.

Messi looks fast because he is faster than other slow footballers around him. Put him on a track and he would be destroyed by any national championship athlete as mentioned above.

KeithReilly

woodchopper wrote: »

What a load of utter rubbish. Its like saying that A GAA player has a great engine surely they would be able to keep up with the Kenyans if they chose to participate in Athletics rather than a field sport. Such comparisons are ridculous, naive and extremely disrespectful to world class athletes. Never mind Bolt I bet anyone racing in the national 100 metre final in Santry would hammer Messi in a 30 meter sprint. Thread should be scraped for stupidity

Actually its your reply that should be scrapped.

I didn't know the difference, I asked the question in a forum where I believed people would know the difference. The thread enlightens anybody who like me have a passing interest but no real knowledge of athletics. Athletics have not currently got a huge following and if you have to be an expert to post here, where I asked a question to gain knowledge on the sport rather than try to pretend I was an expert, than it would be a shame.

Thanks to everyone to everyone who did take the time to write a knowlegable reply.

shels4ever

KeithReilly wrote: »

No its not a "which is the best sportsman in the world thread"

I read in one of the papers over the last few days that Messi is just as fast as Bolt over the first 30metres (I may be incorrect in the exact distance quoted but it was something like that).

Now taking into account this may well be very inaccurate anyway, I would still like to know if the starting accelaration of COULD be the same for both given that there would be a big difference in height. Bolt would have a longer stride I'd imagine but I'm thinking this would only come to the fore the further he runs and is not necessarily an advantage at the start of the race.

On a sidenote what was the preceived perfect height for 100m sprinters before Bolt came along, was it 5ft 11 or 6ft?

Have their being any examples past or present of top class short sprinters?

They did some races a few years back to see who the fastes sprinter in the english leage was, think there was some lad from Carsile who won hands down , but he was a 10.50 sprinter too so I don't think messi would have a hope over 30 m.

belcarra

shels4ever wrote: »

They did some races a few years back to see who the fastes sprinter in the english leage was, think there was some lad from Carsile who won hands down , but he was a 10.50 sprinter too so I don't think messi would have a hope over 30 m.

Ian Harte??:P

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Theo-Walcott-shatters-Thierry-Henry-s-Arsenal-40-metre-sprint-record-article267131.html
Walcott's not technically a footballer though...and I'm an Arsenal fan!

shels4ever

belcarra wrote: »

Ian Harte??:P

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Theo-Walcott-shatters-Thierry-Henry-s-Arsenal-40-metre-sprint-record-article267131.html
Walcott's not technically a footballer though...and I'm an Arsenal fan!

I should say seconds then
Ian is a solid 10.50 min man for the 100m.

Sklarker

Pherekydes wrote: »

Who does Anton Bolt play for?
Seriously, these sorts of comparisons are not funny. Let's get it on on the track. Only way to compare.
P.S. Usain Bolt was leading at 30m in Berlin. So much for being slow out of the blocks.
P.S.S. Johnson was not exactly short at 5'11", hence Tingle's use of inverted commas around small above. Mo Green was around 5'9", which seems to be the lower limit for world class 100m guys. Big guys like Bolt and his buddy, Powell, have learned to start properly, so the game is up for shortarses.

anyone remember andre cason..wasnt he 5'4" or+less+and+broke+10s+for+100m.+He+was+my+tiny+training+buddy's+hero!

MrCreosote

woodchopper wrote: »

Never mind Bolt I bet anyone racing in the national 100 metre final in Santry would hammer Messi in a 30 meter sprint.

I'd have my money on Messi over 30m personally. It's a fair enough comparison- footballers spend plenty of time working on their explosive pace.

Just like when Bolt himself crossed over to Gaelic football- he didn't do too badly:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PousjvySZvE

OneColdHand

MrCreosote wrote: »

I'd have my money on Messi over 30m personally.

Seriously? He's not even the fastest footballer.
Walcott and Agbonlahor are 2 that spring to mind that would be quicker.

MrCreosote

In Santry I mean, not to beat Bolt.

Pherekydes

Sklarker wrote: »

anyone remember andre cason..wasnt he 5'4" or+less+and+broke+10s+for+100m.+He+was+my+tiny+training+buddy's+hero!

Yeah, I remember him. According to IAAF's profile he was 1.70m tall, about 5'7". Very small. The exception that proves the rule. Over 60m smaller guys have a chance but over 100m it's game over.