Every so often, a young sprinter comes along so fast, so electric, that people can’t help but throw around the biggest name in track: Usain Bolt. And right now, that conversation is all about 17-year-old Aussie sensation Gout Gout. But after a recent setback, is the hype still justified, or did Gout just get a much-needed wake-up call?
Let’s talk numbers—because they don’t lie. In the past seven months, Gout has won 200m silver at the World Junior Championships (20.60 seconds), broken Peter Norman’s long-standing Australian 200m record (20.04 seconds), and even smashed through the 20-second barrier (19.98 seconds, albeit wind-aided). Such a resume creates a buzz among fans. But Gout faced a brutal wake-up call during the weekend in Melbourne.
The 21-year-old sprinter Lachlan Kennedy challenged Gout in a race after winning silver at the world indoor 60m competition. The race in the 200m saw Kennedy finish ahead of Gout as he ran 20.26 seconds, while Gout came in second with 20.30 seconds. The performance fell short of expectations since people had labeled him “the next Bolt,” yet he failed to meet that standard.
I don’t understand Australia track!
They claim they have “the next Usain Bolt” but he’s never races competition and when it does he struggles! Their national championships are this week… and instead of racing the decent runners in the country…. he’s racing the 22 and 23… https://t.co/q7Jo7pb0Dh pic.twitter.com/hMB21Z7F1I
— The Erin Brown (@TheErinBrown) March 31, 2025
And, of course, the critics pounced. American track analyst Erin Brown wasted no time throwing shade on X (formerly Twitter). “I don’t understand Australian track! They claim they have ‘the next Usain Bolt,’ but he never races real competition, and when he does, he struggles!” Brown didn’t hold back, criticizing Gout’s race choices and calling him “the biggest joke in track and field.” Ouch.
Brown has been skeptical of Gout for a while, even before the Aussie trained in the U.S. with Olympic gold medalist Noah Lyles, where the “next Bolt” comparisons took off. But it seems track and field fans show increasing interest in the same questions that Brown has raised through his criticism.
Fans debate the “next Bolt” label for Gout
Fans are starting to push back on the whole “next Usain Bolt” talk. One fan straight-up said, “He’s not Bolt… next topic,” while another pointed out, “They try to keep the hype up for as long as possible. He isn’t Bolt. Let him figure out how to beat good athletes first. Stop calling people the next Bolt just for running a fast time. Every time he races actual good runners, he loses. It’s a lot of pressure to put on him.” Fair point; there’s a lot of hype around him, but that’s a ton of weight to carry at just 17.
That being said, let’s not forget what the Aussie sensation has already done. Last year, at just 16, he broke records that once belonged to Usain Bolt. At the 2024 Australian All Schools Championships, he ran an unbelievable 20.04 seconds in the 200m, setting a new national record and beating Bolt’s 16-year-old record of 20.13. Bolt even weighed in on the comparison, saying, “He looks like young me” on Instagram.
So, even with a setback or two, Gout’s still got a seriously bright future ahead of him. One fan pointed out, “I agree, there’s way too much Bolt hype around him, but he’s still a junior athlete. Go easy.” Another added, “He’s still inexperienced. He’ll learn from that defeat. But no, he’s not Bolt.” And honestly, that’s a fair take. Gout, the young Aussie sprinter, is still in the process of developing, especially in his age group, before he steps into the senior events like the World Championships.
That being said, Gout’s got big plans. He’s targeting a major senior title at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. And if everything goes according to plan, he’ll get to race against Noah Lyles, the Olympic 100m champ. So while the Bolt comparisons are cool and all, Gout’s focus is on learning, growing, and gearing up for the real challenge ahead.
One fan said, “Y’all gotta stop forcing this,” probably not too thrilled about comparing Gout to Usain Bolt. But honestly, why not? The guy’s showing some serious promise. What’s even crazier is that Gout’s speed endurance puts him in the same conversation as legends like Bolt, Michael Johnson, and Noah Lyles. For example, the fastest 100-200m split ever was 9.16 seconds by Lyles at the World Championships in 2022. But Gout’s recent 9.31-second split in Brisbane wasn’t far behind.
For comparison, Bolt’s best was 9.27 seconds. What’s even more interesting is how he gets there. After all, his first 100m takes 10.67 seconds, but once he hits the straightaway, he turns it on. With most sprinters peaking in their mid-20s, Gout’s performance at 17 years old is pretty incredible. His coaching, technique, and natural talent are setting him up for an amazing future.
The post Gout Gout Exposed for Running Against Weaker Opponents As Track and Field Fans Mock Usain Bolt Comparisons appeared first on EssentiallySports.
