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is it an accident that no white runner has managed to break the 10 second barrier in approved wind conditions, there is definitely a psychological barrier.

The huge bias in the figures has fueled a debate as to whether black West Africans are faster than the rest of the world's population.

The statistics suggest they are, but it is also likely that there is an element of the self fulfilling prophecy about it. In the USA, for instance, since white boys and girls are always told that black runners are superior in sprint events.

They go away and choose to compete at something else. And few black runners in the United States have distinguished themselves at distances over 800 meters.

None of the West African countries have long distance runners have a high international standard. The country with the highest density of world class sprinters in proportion to the population is Jamaica.

But Jamaica has never produced runners have the highest standard at more than 800 meters. Little Jamaica has a population of 2.6 million, but almost always has competitors of both sexes in international sprint Finals.

In addition to which many Jamaicans have emigrated to the USA, Canada and Britain and represent those countries in sprint events, they train in different countries and different environments, but they still reach the top. Only two Jamaicans have ever run 10,000 meters in less than 30 minutes, and Jamaican women are in a similar position.

The results show that long distance running neither enthusiast nor suits Jamaicans and there may be particular cultural factors that contribute to that. Genes are important in sprinting, and really talented sprinters can run fast without training, whether they happen to be black or white.

A runner who lacks a high percentage of fast muscle fiber stands no chance in a 100 meter sprint and the field of international sprinters are all approaching perfection for the particular event. There have been studies to estimate what percentage of fast muscle fiber the best sprinters have, but it is not a simple matter.

The proportion of different muscle fibers is not evenly distributed through the muscle and no active world class. runner will donate the whole muscle for research. Researchers are limited to taking and testing samples that might reveal tendencies.

It is unlikely that anyone has only fast muscle fibers. But if the proportion of such fibers is particularly high, then that individual can more easily improve because the fast muscle fibers will be trained irrespective of what the runner is doing, even if the training is wrong.

It is an interesting fact that a 100 meter runner takes the same number of strides in every race once he or she is fully grown. Among the best runners. The number of strides is between 43 and 50 with some slight variation depending on height, but irrespective of whether the wind is with them or against them.

The Canadian Ben Johnson took 46.1 strides whether his time was 10.44 or 9.83. At different points in his career. It demonstrates that progress is achieved through faster rather than by longer strides. It is dangerous to claim that any one race is better than another at any activity. In men sprinting and long distance running.

However, West Africans and East Africans respectively are outstandingly the best in 2008 though that has not always been the case. In 1986, about half of the 20 best times at distances between 800 meters and the marathon were held by European men and about a quarter by Africans in 2003.

The European element in the statistics was 11% whereas 85% of the best times were due to African runners in the same year, all of the world records from 100 meters up to the marathon were held by Africans or people of African origin.

Have the Africans become stronger because they want to run their way out of poverty. That is certainly an important motivation. And one they put forward themselves physical differences are another reason.

Insufficient research has yet been done in this area. And it may be that we will never know the answer. Since there are so many factors at play, even in something as simple as running. The picture is a rather different one among the women. A black runner holds the records at 100 and 200 meters but with the exception of the 5000 meters, all the records from 400 to 10,000 meters are in the hands of white Europeans or Chinese.

Is this because the African women entered the international elite later than their male counterparts.