Every track star dreams of breaking Usain Bolt’s iconic 100m and 200m world records. But honestly, just being compared to Bolt is a huge flex in itself! And that’s exactly where 17-year-old Australian sprinter Gout Gout finds himself. He isn’t just running fast, he’s shattering Bolt’s junior records like its nothing. Even Bolt couldn’t help but notice, saying, “He looks like a young me.” Coming from the fastest man alive? Now, that’s some high praise. But while Gout’s dominance is turning heads, some track legends are pointing out a surprising problem.
Since breaking Bolt’s junior record, Gout has continued to make waves. In a Ready Set Go YouTube short, track veterans Rodney Green and Justin Gatlin didn’t hold back when discussing Gout’s dominance. Green pointed out, “These kids are doing the do after saying that we have to move to cuckoo them, saying that right now, cuz they said, ‘Gout is not.’” Gatlin chimed in with a playful jab, “Goo goo, Gout. I’m gonna go with the dude’s truth. The competition is not even close. He can’t even have one guy. Like, yeah, he might get me in the 100 if I don’t do this right.” Their concern?
Gout is so far ahead that he’s not being pushed hard enough. Gatlin emphasized the gap between Gout and his competitors, noting, “You’re annihilating the competition throughout your whole country by far. Like you said, by two seconds or more. Put him on a more international schedule where he can race other athletes of his caliber.” Without facing stronger competition, this young athlete risks stagnating, unable to fully develop the edge needed to dominate on the world stage.
Green painted an even starker picture, recalling how during one of his races, “They weren’t even in the screen when the TV was panning… He was watching himself pull away from the field.” That’s how dominant he has become — he’s running solo while everyone else is trying to catch up. But while being the king of his domain feels good, staying in that comfort zone might not prepare him for the challenges that lie ahead.
Until Gout starts racing against top-tier international athletes, he risks plateauing. But when he finally steps onto the world stage? Watch out — his resume does all the talking.
The world watches as Gout Gout prepares for the big leagues
Gout has the athletic world buzzing, and for good reason. Back in December, the 17-year-old sprinting prodigy broke Peter Norman’s 56-year-old Australian 200m record of 20.06 seconds, as he completed the finish line in 20.04. And guess what? He didn’t stop there. Since then, this rising star has beaten Norman’s time twice more.
He first clocked 20.05 in the 200m heat at the Queensland Athletics Championships this month, and then 19.98 in the final. Sure, that 19.98 didn’t make it into the record books because of a tailwind that was a little too generous, but it was enough to show the world that Gout is the real deal. Now, with his eyes set on the biggest stages, the young star is already dreaming about the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
But that’s not all. A hometown showdown at the 2032 Brisbane Olympics is also in his books. As Gout put it, “I just want to show the world that I’m Gout and that I’m here to stay, and the Olympics is the best place to do that.” The performance data from this athlete demonstrates the reality behind his spoken statements.
He scored his fastest time of 10.17 seconds in 100m racing at the Australian All-Schools Championships in Brisbane in December 2024. He has continued his amazing performance trail, which proves he is not a one-hit wonder in track events. He will make his senior-class debut at the upcoming Maurie Plant Meeting in Melbourne on Saturday, 29 March, as the main competitive attraction.
And if that’s not enough, Gout’s also expected to be a top contender for the 100m and 200m titles at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo. With that kind of momentum, this athlete isn’t just Australia’s next big thing — he’s on track to become a global sprinting phenomenon.
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