Cheetah vs Lion Speed
Which big cat wins the race?
Cheetah
104 km/h 64.6 mph
100 m in 3.46 secCheetah vs Lion
Same distance. Selected comparison speeds.
Lion
74 km/h 46.0 mph
100 m in 4.86 secThe clock runs in real time; use Skip for long races. Each racer is held at its selected comparison speed, so this is playful—not a prediction of acceleration, endurance, terrain, behavior, or safety.
This comparison uses the cheetah at about 104 km/h (64.6 mph) (measured record) and the lion at about 74 km/h (46.0 mph) (commonly reported estimate). At those speeds, the cheetah is approximately 41% faster than the lion.
Cheetah
104 km/hMeasured recordHighest reliably recorded running speed; short sprint only.
Timed running researchLion
74 km/hCommonly reported estimateA short-burst estimate; lions cannot sustain this pace.
BritannicaWhat this race does not show
This is a mathematical selected-speed comparison. It does not model acceleration, fatigue, terrain, motivation or animal behavior. Never use it as advice for approaching or escaping wildlife.