Multiple choice general knowledge sports Who was the first person to break the 10 second barrier in 100m? Carl Lewis Jim Hines Silivio Leonard Calvin Smith Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself B Correct answer Explanation Jim Hines became the first person to officially break the 10-second barrier in the 100m sprint at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics with a time of 9.89 seconds. This was achieved with the aid of high altitude and modern timing technology.