“I’m trying. I’m trying to win a medal for sure or at least make that final and be right there with Noah [Lyles], chasing him down.” Surprisingly, these words didn’t come from Fred Kerley or Letsile Tebogo. Instead, they were spoken by a 17-year-old rising star in track and field—right in front of Noah himself during the ‘Beyond The Records’ podcast last month. So, what could have been Noah’s expression while hearing these words?
Surprisingly, the Olympian wasn’t dismissive and accepted the challenge, saying, “That’s what I love to hear.” But it’s a bold statement from someone with limited high-stakes sprint experience, especially when compared to Lyles, who has practically conquered the sprinting world—Olympic gold, six World Championship titles, and multiple indoor medals. So what fuels Gout Gout’s confidence in taking on such a dominant force?
His manager hints that there’s much more going on behind the scenes—early glimpses of what could make him a generational talent. But what exactly? No Australian sprinter has ever shattered both the 10-second barrier in the 100m and the 20-second mark in the 200m. But if you ask Gout Gout’s manager, James Templeton, there’s little doubt that the teenage sprinting prodigy will be the first to do it—possibly even on back-to-back days. A bold prediction? Maybe!
But Templeton didn’t hesitate when speaking with Fox Sports Australia on March 11, stating, “It’s not impossible.” In fact, Templeton didn’t just stop there. He doubled down, suggesting that Gout could drop a sub-10-second run anytime he steps onto the track. Templeton said, “If everything is in his favor I think he’s a chance to run under 10 seconds anytime he races, really.” A massive claim, but one that the young Queenslander is proving to be more than just talk.
Take February 15, for instance. At the Joanna Stone Shield in Brisbane, Gout put on a show, dominating the 400m with a scorching 46.20 seconds. The win was impressive, but what made it even more special? That time was faster than the best 400m mark Noah Lyles ever recorded—47.04 seconds back in 2016. The reigning sprint king himself never clocked that fast in his youth, putting Gout’s trajectory into even sharper focus.
And here’s the kicker—before he even laced up for that 400m race, Gout had already gotten a head start in learning from the best. Thanks to Adidas, the teenage phenom spent mid-January training alongside none other than Noah Lyles in Clermont, Florida. There, he got an up-close look at what makes a champion tick and picked up key lessons to refine his technique. But even before that elite training stint, Gout had already been turning heads with his electrifying performances.
Noah Lyles’ potential rival has delivered throughout his track and field career until now
Since bursting onto the global track and field scene in 2023, Gout Gout has been rewriting records and turning heads with his electrifying speed. His talent first made waves at the World Athletics U20 Championships, where he stormed to a silver medal in the 200m with a blazing 20.60 seconds—an achievement made even more astonishing by the fact that he was just 16 at the time. That performance also cemented his place in Australian history as the national U18 record holder. But Gout wasn’t done!
The next season, he came back with more in his belly. On November 3, 2024, he dropped a jaw-dropping 20.29 seconds in the 200m, launching himself to fourth place on the U18 all-time list. Can you guess what the names were ahead of him? A band of sprinting powerhouses—Erriyon Knighton (19.84), Usain Bolt (20.13), and Puripol Boonson (20.19). A month later, he set the needle more minutely.
On December 16, Gout broke Australia’s long-standing 200m record with a blazing 20.04 seconds, surpassing Peter Norman’s 56-year-old mark. So, he shaved 0.25 seconds from his previous best and set himself higher than Bolt on the list. And can you guess what his age was then? A mere sixteen years young. Not surprisingly, Gout Gout’s bold challenge to Noah Lyles is rooted in his remarkable early accomplishments, strong support system, and premium training resources. However, the track and field world hopes his manager’s statement will prove correct.
The post After Breaking Noah Lyles’ Record, 17-Year-Old Gout Gout’s Team Makes Huge Track & Field Announcement appeared first on EssentiallySports.
