The unofficial battle for the imaginary “Fastest Man Alive” crown took place back in 1996.
And it did not go well for the United States’ Michael Johnson.
Canadian speedster Donovan Bailey absolutely crushed him in a 150-meter race. Johnson pulled up lame about halfway through, seemingly suffering a hamstring strain around one of the turns.
None of which matters. He was losing at the time anyway, even after showcasing his ability to play the angles on track turns. So while it’s Johnson who still gets recognized as the fastest human of his generation, just know that Bailey, on this night, was faster.
