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Usain Bolt is still the fastest human, even in zero gravity

The famous sprinter beat out an experienced astronaut.

Amanda Kooser
Freelance writer Amanda C. Kooser covers gadgets and tech news with a twist for CNET. When not wallowing in weird gear and iPad apps for cats, she can be found tinkering with her 1956 DeSoto.
Amanda Kooser
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Retired runner Usain Bolt shared this image of himself floating on a zero-g plane.

Usain Bolt

Jamaica's Usain Bolt still holds the record for the 100-meter dash. He got to show off his running skills on Wednesday in a much more challenging environment than a regular race track. 

Bolt was on board a modified Airbus Zero-G plane flying in France as part of a promotion by French bubbly maker Maison Mumm. It's developed a special champagne bottle and serving glass designed for use in space. 

The Mumm Grand Cordon Stellar project hasn't actually left Earth's gravity, but Mumm is testing it with the help of a special plane, which dives through the air to simulate a near zero-gravity environment. These planes, which are used in astronaut training, are also popularly known as "vomit comets."

Bolt raced against European Space Agency astronaut Jean-François Clervoy and French designer Octave de Gaulle, who worked on Mumm's special space-champagne bottle. They traveled the length of the plane and back again.

The athlete called the plane ride an "out of this world experience."

Bolt may be retired, but he still won the weightless race, floating to the finish line well ahead of the other competitors.

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