Every time the 100 m record is broken a new "world's fastest man" is hailed.

Isn't Michael Johnson's 19:32 for 200 meters faster than the current 9.77 for 100 m?

How did things get this way?

Yes I agree with you he is the fastest man, I read that if you break the time down he ran a 9.66 in the first half of the race and a 9.66 in the second half, now tell me that isn't running fast.

But the peak velocity of the person who ran 9.77 was almost certainly greater than Johnson's peak velocity in his 200.