Aussie sprinting prodigy Gout Gout has achieved a remarkable milestone by clocking a time of 9.99 seconds in the 100 metres, breaking the elusive 10-second barrier for the first time in his career. This event took place during the under-20 category of the Australian athletics championships in Perth. However, the achievement will not be officially recognised due to the wind assistance measured at +3.5 metres per second, which exceeds the legal limit of +2.00 metres per second.
Despite the conditions, Gout’s effort places him equal first on the all-time under-18 list of “all conditions” runs, tying with American sprinter Erriyon Knighton, who posted the same time in 2021 aided by a wind of +2.7 metres per second. Gout approached his heat with tactical intent, sprinting competitively for about 80 metres before easing up to conserve energy for the final.
The 17-year-old athlete from Ipswich is sponsored by Adidas and is set to compete again later in the evening, with the final scheduled for 6:47 pm local time. Reflecting on his performance, Gout remarked to the media, “It doesn’t feel very special,” adding that breaking the sub-10-second barrier felt inevitable in his journey as an athlete.
Earlier in the day, a women’s 100-metre heat recorded a legal wind reading of +1.4 metres per second, highlighting the variability of conditions on the track. It’s noteworthy that only one Australian has officially broken the 10-second barrier under legal circumstances: Patrick Johnson, who ran 9.93 seconds with a wind of +1.8 metres per second in Japan in 2003.
Gout Gout and fellow Queensland sprinter Lachie Kennedy, who is 21 years old, both aim to accomplish a legal sub-10-second run during the current competition week. As the Australian athletics community keenly watches, Gout’s promising talent shines, suggesting that his remarkable journey is only just beginning.