1 in 50 Men Think They Could Outrun a Racehorse—Seriously

Published April 7, 2025

File this one under “delusional confidence”: according to a new survey, one in 50 men genuinely believes they could beat a racehorse in a 100-metre sprint.

Let that sink in.

The survey, conducted by OnePoll, also found that men were far more likely than women to believe they could take on the animal kingdom in a foot race.

Among the top animals they believe they could outrun? Crocodiles (27%), elephants (20%), and—believe it or not—house cats (11%). Yes, some respondents think they could outrun a cat over 10 metres, even though those little fluffballs are practically lightning in fur.

Just for comparison, the fastest horse on record clocked in at over 64 km/h. Usain Bolt, arguably the fastest human to ever live, maxed out at 44.7 km/h. So unless you’re secretly harbouring some superhero genes, it might be best not to challenge the nearest thoroughbred.

“I Could Totally Outrun That”

It turns out this isn’t just hypothetical talk. Nearly 30% of people admit they’ve seen an animal while out and about and thought, “I could outrun that.” And 11% have tried—sometimes against dogs (61%), cats (26%), and even goats (19%).

The results? About 60% admit they were handily beaten. But 26% walked away feeling victorious, and 14% settled on a “respectable draw.”

Feats of Strength, Too!

The confidence doesn’t stop at sprinting. A bold 22% of adults believe they could lift a chimpanzee off the ground—even though a full-grown chimp can weigh up to 60 kg and has superhuman strength.

In total, 72% of people agreed that men are more likely than women to think they can outperform animals when it comes to physical feats. Shocking, we know.