Australian sprint prodigy Gout Gout has shattered the 20-second barrier in the 200m, clocking 19.67 seconds at the Australian championships in Sydney on Sunday. The time not only smashed his own national record of 20.02 seconds but also surpassed Usain Bolt's best at the same age, reigniting comparisons with the Jamaican legend.
The 18-year-old's performance made him the first Australian to record a legal sub-20 second time, with Aidan Murphy becoming the second just a step behind. Only American Erriyon Knighton has run faster under the age of 20, though his 2022 time remains unratified.
Gout's coach, Di Sheppard, expressed boundless optimism about his potential, while his manager, James Templeton, revealed he was thrilled but not shocked by the result. 'Last year he ran 19.84 with a marginal wind, so we always felt like that was his time,' Templeton said.
Gout himself admitted the sub-20 goal had been on his mind since an earlier wind-assisted run. 'I wrote down 19.75 and for the past week I've been telling myself I'm running 19.75. And obviously... 19.67... gotta love it,' he said. He added that he feels 'ready for more' and believes he can go faster.
Next, Gout will compete in the under-20 junior championships, focusing on the 100m, before heading overseas to face Olympic champion Noah Lyles over 150m at the Golden Spike event in Ostrava in June.
