At just 16 years old, Australian sprinter Gout Gout has shattered Usain Bolt’s long-standing record for the fastest 200-meter time in his age group.
Competing at the Australian All Schools Championships in Brisbane on Saturday December 7, Gout clocked an astonishing 20.04s, eclipsing Bolt’s 2003 mark of 20.13 seconds for 16-year-olds.
Gout, who turns 17 on December 29, now holds the third-fastest time ever run by a teenager under 17, behind only Erriyon Knighton of the U.S. (19.84) and Bolt himself (19.93).
FASTEST 16-year-old EVER ?
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) December 7, 2024
??'s Gout Gout storms to 20.04 over 200m in Brisbane ?
Oceania record ✅
National record ✅
Fastest time ever by a 16-year-old ✅
2nd on the U18 all-time list ✅
Peter Norman's Australian record stood for 56 years ??
? Casey Sims pic.twitter.com/UjttJieBtC
Remarkably, his time also surpasses the qualifying standard of 20.16 for next year’s World Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Tokyo.
“These are adult times, and me, just a kid—I’m running them,” Gout said, as quoted by Athletics Australia. “It’s going to be a great future for sure.”
Adding to his historic feat, Gout broke the Australian national record of 20.06 seconds, a mark set by Peter Norman during his silver-medal-winning performance at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. Norman famously stood in solidarity with Tommie Smith and John Carlos during their Black Power salute on the podium.
“I didn’t expect it to be that fast,” Gout admitted. “But I guess I ran Australia’s fastest-ever time in the 200m. I’ve been chasing that record, but I didn’t think it would come this year. I thought maybe next year or the year after that.”
Born in Brisbane to parents who emigrated from South Sudan, Gout’s rise to stardom has been meteoric. Earlier this year, he claimed silver in the 200m at the World U20 Championships in Lima, Peru, with a personal best of 20.60 seconds. After turning professional in October, he signed a lucrative deal with Adidas.