Australian sprint prodigy Gout Gout has spoken of his nerves and excitement ahead of his senior World Athletics Championships debut, as the 17-year-old faced a packed room of international media in Tokyo on Monday.
The Ipswich Grammar student, who will contest the 200m on Wednesday, has been touted as a once-in-a-generation talent, with comparisons to Usain Bolt after clocking times faster than the Jamaican at the same age. But at his only pre-meet press engagement, Gout appeared overwhelmed, offering an awkward smile and admitting life as a "next generational icon" was "a bit surreal, for real".
Gout, whose family moved from South Sudan to Brisbane, said he was learning to balance ambition with patience. "I struggled a bit during the start [of my career] but now I know that things don't happen overnight. Like, I'm only 17," he said. Away from the track, he described himself as a "hard gamer" who enjoys Fortnite, Minecraft and Zelda, and a self-confessed "doom-scroller" on TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat.
The teenager has already broken Australia's 200m record that stood for 56 years and become national senior champion. He credited his parents, Bona and Monica, for instilling focus and integrity, and praised his coach Di Sheppard for their "strong" relationship. He also revealed he turns to American sprinter Noah Lyles for advice and tips.
Looking further ahead, Gout is considering studying psychology at university and hopes to leave a lasting legacy. "Just being someone people can look at [and think] he was good, he was 'that guy'," he said. "Being an inspiration to people older than me, people younger than me, people the same age, just people that don't even do track."
