Gout Gout broke Usain Bolt’s record as the fastest 16-year-old in history in the 200m, clocking 20.04 seconds at the Australian All Schools Championships in Brisbane on Saturday.
Gout broke Usain Bolt’s record for 16-year-olds of 20.13 seconds from 2003. Gout turns 17 on Dec. 29. The only men in history to have run faster than 20.04 at age 17 are American Erriyon Knighton (19.84) and Bolt (19.93).
Gout also went under the entry standard of 20.16 for next September’s World Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Tokyo.
“These are adult times and me, just a kid —I’m running them,” Gout said, according to Australia’s track and field federation. “It’s going to be a great future for sure.”
GOUT OF THIS WORLD
In 20.04-seconds, 16-year-old Gout Gout has sprinted into athletics history as Australia’s fastest ever man over 200m, taking down Peter Norman’s Australian record of 20.06 from the 1968 Olympic Games.
20.04 (+1.5). The oldest record in the books is… pic.twitter.com/wVpPSebbAp
— Athletics Australia (@AthsAust) December 7, 2024
Gout also broke the Australian record for all ages of 20.06 set by Peter Norman when he ran to silver at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. Norman wore an Olympic Project for Human Rights badge on the medal podium in support of gold and bronze medalists Tommie Smith and John Carlos.
“I didn’t expect it to be that fast, but I guess I ran Australia’s fastest ever time in the 200m,” Gout said. “I have been chasing that record, but I didn’t think it would come this year. I thought maybe next year or the year after that.”
Gout was born in Brisbane two years after his parents moved to Australia from South Sudan. He took silver in the 200m at the World U20 Championships in August in Lima, Peru, in a then-personal best 20.60. He turned professional in October, signing with Adidas.
“My video went viral right before World Juniors and that already created pressure,” Gout said. “But you know what they say, pressure makes diamonds, and I guess I’m better than a diamond right now. We just take little steps; beat my PB by 0.01 and 0.02. Chasing that big sub-20, it will be great for sure but I’m not expecting too much.”
Olympic 100m gold medalist Noah Lyles posted on Gout’s Instagram on Friday after Gout ran a wind-aided 10.04 in the 100m followed by a wind-legal personal best of 10.17.
“Congratulations on your many GREAT moments this Year,” Lyles posted. “I also heard you are planning to come train with the group for a few weeks. See you soon.”
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