Faster than Usain Bolt! 

| Read time: 3 minute(s)

Usain Bolt is the undisputed fastest man on Earth. But he may have some completion from an Indian. Srinivasa Gowda from a Karnataka village made a record, and became a sensation, after competing in a traditional Kambala race. He ran the traditional buffalo race, covering 142.50 meters in just 13.62 seconds. The timing was enough to make 28-year-old Srinivasa Gowda the fastest runner in the history of the traditional sport of the coastal region, breaking a 30-year-old record. It also led to comparisons with Bolt’s world record sprint of 100 meters in just 9.58 seconds. As Gowda ran 142.50 meters in 13.62 seconds, people simply calculated what his speed would have been for 100 metres. It turned out to be just 9.55 seconds, .03 seconds faster than Bolt’s record. Although the records cannot be directly compared, since the Kambala jockey was running alongside a pair of buffaloes and the speed generated was also by the animals. But the race was run in a slushy field, which can only be a speed deterrent. Even without the comparisons, Gowda’s feat is remarkable on its own. Kambala is an ancient, traditional Buffalo race in muddy or slushy paddy fields of Mangalore and Udupi regions of Karnataka. Many villages organise Kambala in which dozens of enthusiastic youth participate with their best trained buffaloes. Fun fact Usain Bolt is a very popular figure amongst sports fans and the media. His achievements are so remarkable, it got him nicknames like ‘Bolt from the blue’ and ‘Lightning Bolt’.

Usain Bolt is the undisputed fastest man on Earth. But he may have some completion from an Indian. Srinivasa Gowda from a Karnataka village made a record, and became a sensation, after competing in a traditional Kambala race.

He ran the traditional buffalo race, covering 142.50 meters in just 13.62 seconds.

The timing was enough to make 28-year-old Srinivasa Gowda the fastest runner in the history of the traditional sport of the coastal region, breaking a 30-year-old record. It also led to comparisons with Bolt’s world record sprint of 100 meters in just 9.58 seconds.

As Gowda ran 142.50 meters in 13.62 seconds, people simply calculated what his speed would have been for 100 metres. It turned out to be just 9.55 seconds, .03 seconds faster than Bolt’s record.

Although the records cannot be directly compared, since the Kambala jockey was running alongside a pair of buffaloes and the speed generated was also by the animals. But the race was run in a slushy field, which can only be a speed deterrent.

Even without the comparisons, Gowda’s feat is remarkable on its own.

Kambala is an ancient, traditional Buffalo race in muddy or slushy paddy fields of Mangalore and Udupi regions of Karnataka. Many villages organise Kambala in which dozens of enthusiastic youth participate with their best trained buffaloes.


Fun Fact

Usain Bolt is a very popular figure amongst sports fans and the media. His achievements are so remarkable, it got him nicknames like ‘Bolt from the blue’ and ‘Lightning Bolt’. 


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