Honestly, if you ask a casual fan who the fastest woman in the world is, they’ll probably say Sha’Carri Richardson or maybe Elaine Thompson-Herah. They aren't wrong, exactly. But if you look at the official record books—the ones managed by World Athletics—there is one name that sits at the top like a ghost that won't leave: Florence Griffith-Joyner.
Flo-Jo.
In 1988, she ran a 10.49. That number is basically a brick wall. For nearly four decades, nobody has touched it. But here’s the kicker: almost everyone in the sport knows that record is, well, kinda "broken."
The 10.49 Mystery That Won't Die
Let’s talk about that day in Indianapolis. It was the U.S. Olympic Trials. Flo-Jo didn't just win; she obliterated the field. The wind gauge on the track blinked 0.0 m/s. That means it was perfectly still. No help from the weather.
But there's a problem.
If you watch the footage, her hair is whipping. The flags are stiff. Just a few feet away, the men’s triple jump was recording massive tailwinds over 4.0 m/s. The legal limit for a world record is 2.0 m/s. Basically, the gauge was likely broken, recording a "still" day when a gale was blowing Griffith-Joyner toward the finish line.
Statisticians and scientists have since estimated the wind was actually around 5.0 m/s. If that's true, the 10.49 wouldn't count. Yet, it’s still the official world record. It’s the standard every woman today is chasing, even if the starting line was moved for them decades ago.
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The Modern Speed Queens (The "Real" Fastest Women)
Fast forward to right now, in 2026. We are living in a golden era of sprinting. We finally have women who are knocking on the door of those 1980s times without the shadow of "wind-gauge-gate" hanging over them.
Melissa Jefferson-Wooden’s 10.61
Last year in Tokyo, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden did something that made the track world collectively gasp. She ran a 10.61.
That’s fast. Ridiculously fast.
It broke the championship record and tied her for the fourth-fastest time ever. What’s wild about Jefferson-Wooden is how she just... appeared. She wasn't the "chosen one" like Sha'Carri. She was a hunter. She floating away from the field in Tokyo heat that would melt most people. She’s currently the woman to beat as we head deeper into the 2026 season.
Elaine Thompson-Herah: The Fastest Woman Alive
If we're being technical about who has the "cleanest" fastest time, many experts point to Elaine Thompson-Herah.
In 2021, she ran a 10.54 in Eugene, Oregon.
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That is the fastest legal time ever recorded by a human being with a verified wind reading. She didn't have the "broken gauge" excuse. She just had pure, unadulterated power. For years, she and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (the GOAT, let's be real) turned every Diamond League race into a Jamaican national holiday.
What Does it Take to Run Sub-10.70?
You can't just be "fast" to get into this club. You have to be a freak of nature. Most elite sprinters are hitting the ground with a force that’s nearly five times their body weight. Every single stride is a mini-explosion.
Take Sha’Carri Richardson. Her 10.65 in Budapest wasn't just about leg speed. It was about her start. She has this way of staying low, driving through the "drive phase" longer than almost anyone else, and then standing up to let her top-end speed take over.
- The Start: Reaction times under 0.150 seconds.
- Drive Phase: Staying leaned over for the first 30 meters.
- Max Velocity: Holding 25 mph without your form falling apart.
- The Finish: Leaning at the tape.
Honestly, it's more like flying than running. If your foot stays on the ground for more than a tenth of a second, you’ve already lost the race.
The 200m Record is Actually Harder to Break
While everyone focuses on the 100m, the 200m world record is arguably even more insane. Flo-Jo’s 21.34 is still the mark.
Shericka Jackson has been haunting that record for three years now. She ran a 21.41 in 2023. She was seven-hundredths of a second away. Think about that. That’s less time than it takes to blink. Jackson has been the most consistent speedster in the world, but even she admits that finding those last few milliseconds feels like trying to catch lightning in a jar.
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Why We Should Stop Obsessing Over 10.49
There is a growing movement in track and field to "reset" the records. Some people think we should just acknowledge that the 1980s were a weird time for the sport—between the wind gauge issues and the lack of rigorous drug testing—and start the "modern" record from 2000 onwards.
If we did that, the record would belong to Elaine Thompson-Herah.
But sport is about mythology. We love the "untouchable" number. We love the fact that someone like Julien Alfred or Tina Clayton might line up tomorrow and do the impossible.
Actionable Speed: How to Watch the Next Race
Next time you’re watching a Diamond League meet or a World Championship final, don't just look at the clock at the end. Look at the wind reading at the bottom of the screen.
- Positive (+) number: Tail wind. It’s pushing them.
- Negative (-) number: Head wind. They’re running into a wall.
- Over 2.0: It’s a "wind-aided" time. Great for the win, but it won’t count for the record books.
Keep an eye on the 60-meter mark. That’s usually where the fastest woman in the world separates herself from the "merely elite." If she’s still accelerating at 70 meters, you’re likely watching history.
The quest for the sub-10.50 is the "Sub-2 Hour Marathon" of sprinting. It’s the ultimate barrier. Whether it happens this year or ten years from now, the women on the track right now are closer than we’ve been in a generation.
Key Stats to Remember
- World Record: 10.49 (Florence Griffith-Joyner, 1988)
- Fastest Living: 10.54 (Elaine Thompson-Herah, 2021)
- Current World Lead (2025/26): 10.61 (Melissa Jefferson-Wooden)
- The "Legal" Barrier: +2.0 m/s wind.
If you want to track who is currently the fastest, follow the World Athletics Top Lists for the current outdoor season. Rankings change every weekend during the summer circuit, and in a sport decided by hundredths of a second, the "fastest" title is usually only a temporary lease until the next gun goes off.
The smartest thing you can do is stop looking for a single name and start looking at the depth of the field. When four women in one race all dip under 10.80, that’s when you know the world record is truly in danger.