Maurice Greene

Maurice Greene's 9.79-second 100m world record in 1999 made him the fastest man alive, a time that was 0.04 seconds quicker than Donovan Bailey's Olympic record from 1996. He won 100m gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and dominated his era with four World Championship titles, earning the nickname 'The Kansas Assassin.' Greene’s 9.79s clocking was faster than the average top-10 sprinter's best by 0.12 seconds during that period. His 4x100m relay gold in Sydney further solidified his legacy, though his 100m record fell to #1 Usain Bolt's 9.58s in 2009, a gap of 0.21 seconds that remains a benchmark for excellence.