As the athletes look to kickstart their seasons, one question remains: is 2025 the year another sprinter finally gets a hold of Florence Griffith-Joyner’s long-standing world record?
The sprinting scene has always been dynamic and following the eventful 2024 season, the top 10 fastest times in the world are likely to change.
It is no surprise that every new season offers thrilling surprises as the 2025 season is about to start, one of the questions in athletics circles is whether the current rankings of the fastest women in the world will experience a shake-up.
There is a group of young, hungry talents who will be battling it out with seasoned veterans who have the job to maintain their dominance. This will set up a stage for yet another enthralling season.
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This analysis by Pulse Sports looks at the current landscape, the rising stars, the dominant figures, and the factors that could influence the rankings in 2025.
Current top 10 fastest women of all time
1) Florence Griffith-Joyner– The late Griffith-Joyner holds the world record time of 10.48 seconds in the women’s 100m. She set the record at the 1988 United States Olympic Trials in Indianapolis, Indiana.
2) Elaine Thompson-Herah– She is the fastest woman alive, thanks to her time of 10.54 seconds that she set at the 2021 Prefontaine Classic, a few days after dominating at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
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3) Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce– The 10-time world champion holds the third fastest time in the world. She clocked a stunning 10.60 seconds at the the Diamond League Meeting in Lausanne in 2021.
4) Carmelita Jeter– The retired American sprinter and three-time world champion is the fourth-fastest woman in the world. She clocked an impressive 10.64 seconds to win the 100m race at the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix.
5) Marion Jones– She is also one the greatest American sprinters and her 10.65 seconds at the 1998 Johannesburg IAAF World Cup is the fifth-fastest time in the world.
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6) Shericka Jackson– The two-time world 200m champion ran the sixth-fastest time in the world at the 2023 Jamaican Championships, clocking a stunning 10.65 seconds to win the race.
7) Sha’Carri Richardson– The Olympic 100m silver medallist comes seventh, thanks to her 10.65 seconds that she ran to win the title at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
8) Marie-Josée Ta Lou-Smith– Africa’s fastest woman is currently the eighth-fastest woman in the world with a time of 10.72 seconds that she clocked at the 2022 Diamond League Meeting in Monaco.
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9) Julien Alfred– The reigning Olympic 100m champion clocked the ninth-fastest time, clocking 10.72 seconds at the Paris Olympic Games.
10) Christine Arron– The Frenchwoman clocked 10.73 seconds to win the 100m at the 1998 Budapest European Championships.
The changing landscape
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The 2025 season certainly promises to be a pivotal year, with a series of factors on the line to reshape the rankings including a number of rising stars hungry for glory, veterans eyeing to maintain their top spots and the ever-evolving technology.
Reigning Olympic champion Julien Alfred, and Tia Clayton are already making waves, with the former having dethroned Sha’Carri Richardson at the Paris Olympic Games.
These youngsters are a great representation of a new generation that is unafraid to challenge the status quo. Other young sprinters to watch in 2025 include Brianna Lyston, Alana Reid, and Jayla Jamison.
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Veterans like Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson, Twanisha Terry, Dina Asher-Smith, Elaine Thompson-Herah and Marie Josee Ta Lou-Smith will be looking to stay relevant. They might be in the later stages of their careers, but they remain fierce competitors.
There have been a series of advancements in the world of track and field from the surfaces to footwear and they continue to push the boundaries of human performance.
The 2025 season will be a thrilling experience in the history of women’s sprinting with stars striving to cement their legacies and rising talents eager to make their mark. The fans are in for an exhilarating ride.
As the athletes look to kickstart their seasons, one question remains: is 2025 the year another sprinter finally gets a hold of Florence Griffith-Joyner’s long-standing 10.49 seconds world record? Will fans see a new name dominate the rankings? Time will tell.
