Seventeen-year-old Australian sprinter Gout Gout continued to underline his rising star status by winning the men’s 200m national title in Perth with a blistering 19.84 seconds – the second-fastest time ever run by an under-20 athlete. However, the time won’t count as an official record due to a tailwind of 2.2 metres per second, slightly above the allowable limit.
Despite the disappointment of a wind-assisted run, Gout’s performance further cements his position as one of the brightest young sprinting prospects in world athletics. After two false starts, Gout stormed around the bend and powered through the home straight, finishing well clear of the field and knocking 0.14 off his previous best.
The only under-20 sprinter in history to have gone faster is American Erriyon Knighton, who clocked 19.49 in 2022 before winning silver at the 2023 World Championships and placing fourth at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Gout, who won’t turn 18 until December, celebrated his victory with visible emotion, clearly thrilled with the sub-20 mark despite the wind. “Top speed is my gift, I used it, took off and I got sub-20 – it feels pretty good,” he said. “The wind is frustrating. I run fast times but it’s not on my side. Hopefully one day the wind will be great.”
This wasn’t the only wind-aided sprint of the weekend for Gout. On Friday, he won the under-20 national 100m title in 9.99 seconds, again with a tailwind over the legal limit.
Gout has already drawn comparisons to Usain Bolt for his long stride and raw speed. The Jamaican legend even endorsed the teenager last year, saying: “He looks like a young me.” Bolt ran 20.13 as a 16-year-old, a mark Gout bettered at 16 with his 20.04 to win the Australian All Schools title, breaking a 56-year-old national record held by Olympic silver medallist Peter Norman.
Born in Ipswich, Queensland, to South Sudanese parents who fled civil war, Gout is coached by Di Sheppard, who also guided 800m runner Joseph Deng to the Olympics.
With continued development and favourable conditions, Gout looks well-placed to challenge legal junior records and could soon become a force on the international stage.
Photo: Paul Kane/Getty Images
