Move Over Usain, Here Comes Sarah The Cheetah!

By Meera Dolasia on September 11, 2009

It was only about a month ago when Usain Bolt stunned the world with his 9.58 second 100m dash. Yesterday, the 'lightning' was usurped from his throne by a faster mammal - An 8-year old cheetah called Sarah.

And unlike Bolt who took over a year to break his own record, Sarah did it within 15 minutes. Her first 100m dash was timed at 6.16 seconds. Not satisfied, she ran the track one more time, completing it in 6.13 seconds. By her third attempt, the intense heat and fatigue seemed to have set in on this middle-aged mammal, 'slowing' her down to 6.60 seconds.

However, Sarah better not rest on her laurels. As soon as the weather improves in October, Zaza a South African cheetah and the previous record holder for the world's fastest land animal, plans to take her on!

But the cheetah program manager at the Cincinnati Zoo, where the cheetah has lived most of her life, is not worried. That's because Sarah accomplished yesterday's feat despite running on an incline with the wind against her. Next time around, she will simply run downhill and with the wind behind her!

Sarah's run was organized by the Cincinnati Zoo's special Cheetah breeding facility to highlight the importance of conserving these amazing animals whose numbers have dropped dramatically in the last 100 years.

While the zoo is proud of their new celebrity, they are used to fame. One of their other cheetahs Moya, who died in January, had held the record for a whole year before being defeated by his own brother, a South African cheetah called Nyana. We're sure that Sarah will be able to regain her record even if she loses it to Zaza, later this year.

sources:yahoo.com,thisislondon.co.uk, dailymail.co.uk

40 Comments
to use your custom avatar.
  • jfdsmc, vhst.y3/13/2013
    Cool
    • cheeta
      1/13/2013
      well the cheetah does have four legs
      • Pi man12/12/2012
        Hi and awesome
        • zxzxz11/13/2012
          I love this article because my friend is named Sarah also
          • bibalyboop
            11/4/2012
            o m g so cut
            • zion10/15/2012
              love this
              • chimmychangaman10/3/2012
                i think that is fast.
                • August9/14/2012
                  Love it
                  • tangirl095/21/2012
                    thats so cool
                    • lenaic221
                      10/17/2011
                      OMG

                      Vocabulary

                      conservingfatiguemammalusurped

                      Most Commented On Articles

                      1
                      The Jersey Shore Shark Attacks Of 1916
                      4
                      App Turns Mindless Humming Into Real  Music
                      5
                      Abandoned Lion, Tiger And Hyena Cubs Form Unusual Bond
                      1
                      Coming Soon - A Smart Phone That Curls Up!
                      4
                      Abandoned Lion, Tiger And Hyena Cubs Form Unusual Bond
                      1
                      Minecraft As A Mandatory Subject In School? Sweet!
                      2
                      Boo Mania Sweeps Over America (And The World)!
                      3
                      Are You Ready To 'Gangnam Style'?
                      5
                      Video Of The Week - World's Youngest Successful Singer!

                      Latest Comments

                      sarahb
                      sarahb wrote:

                      That picture of the tornado next...
                      US Midwest States Get Pounded By...

                      Crazycookie wrote:

                      Grayson is so much better
                      Video Of The Week - Watch Out Ju...

                      Dude wrote:

                      That was awesome
                      Video Of The Week -  Magician Pu...

                      ALA