In an electrifying performance at the recently concluded U20 World Athletics Championships in Lima, Peru, 16-year-old Australian sprinter Gout Gout eclipsed a long-standing record held by the legendary Usain Bolt.
Gout’s timing of 20.60 seconds in the 200m final helped him surpass Bolt’s 2002 record of 20.61 seconds in the same age category, marking a historic achievement for the young athlete.
Gout clinched a silver medal with the record-breaking performance and was just behind the 18-year-old South African Bayanda Walaza, who had just won a silver medal at the Paris Olympics 2024 in the 4x100m relay.
Gout was born to South Sudanese parents Monica and Bona in Brisbane in 2007 after they migrated to Australia in 2005.
At 15, he not only clinched the men’s under-18 200m title at the Australian Junior Athletics Championships but also set a national under-20 record.
He further solidified his potential with a remarkable 10.29s in 100m in March 2024, a time that would have qualified him for the preliminary rounds of the men’s 100m event at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Gout’s exceptional performances at the World U20 Championships have drawn comparisons to eight-time Olympic gold medallist Bolt, placing immense expectations on the young sprinter.
However, Gout remains focused on forging his own path while acknowledging the inspiration he draws from Bolt.
With the LA 2028 Olympics on the horizon, Gout, who will be in his early twenties by then, is undoubtedly setting his sights on competing on the global stage.
The subsequent 2032 Olympics in Brisbane, to be held in his home state, present an even more enticing opportunity for Gout to showcase his talent.
The future shines bright for Gout Gout, a name destined to resonate throughout the world of athletics.
His remarkable achievements at such a young age herald a promising career, and the world eagerly awaits his future accomplishments.