Analysis of Japan and World Records in the 100 m Dash Using Extreme Value Theory

Extreme value theory provides methods to analyze the most extreme parts of data. We predicted the ultimate 100 m dash records for men and women for specific periods using the generalized extreme value (GEV) distribution. The various diagnostic plots, which assessed the accuracy of the GEV model, were well fitted to the 100 m records in the world and Japan, validating the model. The men’s world record had a shape parameter of -0.250 with a 95% confidence interval of [-0.391, -0.109]. The 100 m record had a finite limit and a calculated upper limit was 9.46 s. The return level estimates for the men’s world record were 9.74, 9.62, and 9.58 s with a 95% confidence interval of [9.69, 9.79], [9.54, 9.69], and [9.48, 9.67] for 10-, 100- and 350-year return periods, respectively. In one year, the probability of occurrence for a new world record of men, 9.58 s (Usain Bolt), was 1/350, while that for women, 10.49 s (Florence Griffith-Joyner), was about 1/100, confirming it was more difficult for men to break records than women.