Why so Few Tall Sprinters?

"If Bolt's long legs give him such an edge, why haven't there been more tall sprinters? Traditionally, height has been seen as a detriment to sprinting. The formula for speed is stride length times stride rate. If the longest legs always won the race, then Yao Ming would have the world record in the 100, and lions wouldn't eat giraffes. Gangly guys, the thinking has always gone, don't win short races because they can't master the smooth form required to generate rapid leg turnover.

"So will the starting blocks at the 2012 Olympics be filled by giants? Probably not. One reason we've never seen such a tall sprinter is that athletes who combine height and coordination usually go out for more glamorous, high-paying sports. Usain Bolt would make a sensational wide receiver or a great rebounding forward. In the United States, at least, a lot of guys started running track because they got cut from teams with cheerleaders. But Jamaicans regard sprinters the way the French regard wine: as a leading export, and a source of national identity."

Taking Sprinting to New Height
by Edward McClelland
http://www.slate.com/id/2225866/