Gout Gout has made headlines once again, impressing attendees at the Queensland athletics championships in Brisbane on Sunday. The 17-year-old athlete sprinted through his 200m heat with an outstanding time of 20.05 seconds, finishing over two seconds ahead of the runner-up, Zaine Leigh, who clocked 22.22 seconds.
This remarkable performance has positioned Gout as the fastest 200m runner in the world for 2023, surpassing the previous fastest time of 20.13 seconds set by Zimbabwe’s Makanakaishe Charamba in Texas last month. Running with a legal tailwind of +1.2 metres per second, Gout not only marked a personal triumph but also broke the longstanding Australian open record of 20.06 seconds, previously set by Peter Norman at the 1968 Mexico Olympics.
Though he narrowly missed his national record of 20.04 seconds achieved in December, Gout’s supporters are optimistic that he may soon break this mark as he competes again later on Sunday. His impressive ability has already drawn comparisons to sprinting legend Usain Bolt, as Gout’s 20.04 time at 16 years old is faster than Bolt’s best at the same age, which was 20.13 seconds. Bolt’s 17-year-old record stood at 19.93 seconds, raising anticipation around Gout potentially achieving similar milestones in the future.
The young athlete’s team is focusing on securing gold medals in both the 100m and 200m events at the Brisbane 2032 Olympics, where Gout will be 24. His journey has garnered substantial interest, with funding confirmed for his upcoming appearance at the Stawell Gift next month, which will be supported by the majority owner of the racehorse that won the 2015 Melbourne Cup, Prince Of Penzance.
Moreover, four other notable Australian sprinters—Lachlan Kennedy, Josh Azzopardi, Jack Hale, and Jacob Despard—are set to participate in the famed 120m sprint at Stawell, which features a $40,000 prize. Reigning 100m national champion Sebastian Sultana expressed interest in joining the event, further highlighting the competitive atmosphere surrounding Australian athletics.
With Gout’s remarkable talent and promising trajectory, athletics enthusiasts are eager to witness not just his upcoming competitions but also the significant milestones he is likely to achieve in the near future.