How fast can a cheetah run?

Photo by Don Van Dyke

How fast can a cheetah run? The maximum recorded speed at which a cheetah has run is 64 mph (102.99 kmph) based on my research but most other websites quote about 71 miles per hour.

I think that it is fair to say that there is a degree of exaggeration on the internet as to the top speed of the cheetah. And sites copy each other.

I also think that there is little hard science on this subject. I feel that my page on cheetah speed addresses the question, "how fast does a cheetah run" with accuracy and some precision. I hope you agree.