“Who is the fastest person in the world, mommy?” My son asked me recently. I honestly didn’t know, so of course I turned to google.

Bolt celebrating at the 2013 London Anniversary Games, by J. Brichto. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce win the 200 m on 2013 World Championships in Athletics in Moscow, by Erik van Leeuwen.

Fastest Man in the World:

Superstar Usain Bolt is arguably the fastest person in the world. He holds the world record  in the 100 and 200 meter sprints, running an average speed of over 23 miles per hour!!! (his top speed during the sprint was over 27 miles per hour!)

Despite suffering from a hamstring tear during the Jamaican Olympic Trials, Usain Bolt has been named in the Jamaican Olympic team for the 100m, 200m and 4x100m events at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games next month. I can’t wait to watch him compete!

National Cover: @usainbolt won’t let a balky hamstring get in his way of more Olympic gold https://t.co/lIeCoNN0yy pic.twitter.com/fl8kQfrWcl

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) July 12, 2016

Fastest Woman in the World

If Usain Bolt is the fastest man in the world, who is the fastest woman? Fellow Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce right now is the fastest woman in the world. Like Bolt, she also triumphed in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and in London in 2012- matching Bolt in medals for the 100m sprint at the Olympics and world championships. Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce also has an extremely painful injury- in her toe- and she recently withdrew from the 200m final before the Jamaican Olympic Trials.

We hope both Bolt and Fraser-Pryce can recover from their injuries, and perform their best during the Rio Olympics! Who will be the fastest person in the world after the Olympics? Will it change? Here are some amazing videos of the current fastest man and woman in the world:

 

Welcome to our Olympics for Kids series! The Olympics are a wonderful opportunity to teach kids about the world and explore cultures together. Today, you can find more about Olympic history and famous athletes from various countries around the world.

Judoka: Rafaela Silva – Multicultural Kid Blogs
South Africa’s First Olympians – Globe Trottin’ Kids
Chile: Important Names and Winners – La clase de Sra. DuFault 
Female Athletes to Watch in 2016 – Use Resources Wisely
Jefferson Perez: The Only Olympic Medalist in Ecuador – Hispanic Mama
Fastest Man/Woman in the World – Kid World Citizen
Olympisch Stadion in Amsterdam – Expat Life with a Double Buggy
Baron Pierre de Coubertin & the modern Olympics – La Cité des Vents