World Athletics trolls BBC post for comparing Usain Bolt to Kylian Mbappe's speed

World Athletics has trolled BBC Sports on X (formerly Twitter) for comparing the speed of Usain Bolt and Kylian Mbappe after the latter was estimated to have clocked 10.9s over a 100m sprint.

The PSG forward clocked 1.3 seconds less than Bolt's 100m sprint time during a Champions League Round of 16 match between PSG and Real Sociedad. BBC Sport made the comparison later, stating that Mbappe's speed was "just a second slower than Usain Bolt's world record." However, it faced heavy criticism from the athletics community.

While fans highlighted the difference of a second in track and field, the French footballer was also trolled. Mbappe would rank 63rd on the women's all-time 100m list. Bolt himself responded, saying:

"I know I was laughing when I saw it. The girls are running faster than that [10.9]."

Joining the fans is World Athletics now, who took a jibe at the British broadcaster. It shared a picture of Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce laughing with hands on faces with the BBC post as an inset. The post was accompanied by a cheeky caption that read:

"10.90? That's cute"

Jackson and Fraser Pryce have personal best timings of 10.65 seconds and 10.60 seconds respectively, making them faster than Mbappe.

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Noah Lyles and Michael Johnson defend Usain Bolt's athletics achievements

Usain Bolt during Training Session

Track and field legend Michael Johnson also expressed disapproval of the Usain Bolt-Kylian Mbappe speed comparisons after the BBC's post went viral on the internet. The former Olympic champion was left confused about how the comparison could be made. He said:

"I’m hella confused!"

When Bolt's speed comparisons began with Xavier Worthy a few days earlier, it was reigning World Champion Noah Lyles who promptly came to the Jamaican's defense. Worthy clocked 4.21 seconds in the 40-yard dash during the NFL Combine to beat Bolt's timing of 4.22s clocked in 2019.

However, that run by the fastest man was a casual one that he undertook in jeans. Lyles pointed out the same.

"Do we have to show the video of him running that time with jeans, no cleats, and no warming up. Just to remind y’all"