''Usain Bolt Is More Energetic Than A Speeding Bullet''...Scientists

Olympic champion Usain Bolt produced 50 times more energy than that of a speeding bullet during one of his record-breaking 100metre runs, scientists have revealed.

Physicists studying the secrets of Bolt's success announced the findings after a detailed study of the Jamaican sprinter's 100m performance during the 2009 World Championships in Berlin.

They discovered that he produced a remarkable 81.58kJ of energy - compared to just 1.6kJ of energy a bullet produces when it leaves the barrel of a 0.44 calibre Magnum handgun.

They also calculated that he reached a top speed of 27mph during the race.

But unlike a bullet - which can reach 1,000mph - Bolt's huge 6ft 5ins frame meant more than 92 per cent of his energy was absorbed in battling air resistance.

The researchers found he had to produce an 'extraordinary' amount of power to reach his 100m world record time - and because he's so tall he is less aerodynamic than the average human.

They made the discovery after taking into account the altitude of the Berlin track, the temperature at the time of the race and the cross-section of Bolt himself.

Bolt reached a maximum power of 2,619.5watts - a horsepower of 3.5 - within 0.89 seconds when he was only at half his maximum speed, which shows the effect the drag had on his acceleration.