Gout Gout: Meet the 16-year old Aussie who has broken Usain Bolt's record

The new Usain Bolt?
Tracking like a superstar
Closely watched
Record breaker
Just 16
No need for comparisons?
Hard to match
Too much pressure
Bayanda Walaza snatched gold
Jake Odey-Jordan took bronze
Next Bolt?
More Jamaican talent
Two future stars?
Continues to inspire
The new Usain Bolt?

Usain Bolt is colloquially known as the fastest man alive, but the Jamaican may need to get a new moniker after the emergence of a 16-year-old sprinter from Australia. Enter the conversation, Gout Gout.

Tracking like a superstar

Gout gained widespread attention in August when he claimed silver at the U20 World Championships with a time of 20.60 seconds, narrowly surpassing the record set by then-15-year-old Usain Bolt by 0.01 seconds. Bolt, at Gout's current age, ran 20.13 seconds, a milestone that Gout’s recent performance shows he is steadily closing in on, as The Courier Mail reported.

Closely watched

On November 2, 2024, the Australian won the All Schools Queensland title at the weekend, but it was his time of 20.29 seconds in the heats that captured the most attention.

Photo by Ben Soyka on Unsplash

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Record breaker
Gout’s remarkable 200m time was the fastest by any Australian since 1993, bringing him closer to the national record of 20.06 seconds set by Peter Norman (pictured), which has remained unbroken since 1968. His performance in Queensland not only surpassed the Australian U20 record of 20.41 seconds, but also places him as the fourth-fastest U18 sprinter in 200m history, as Express reported.
Just 16

At just 16, Gout is arguably one of the most talented sprinters on the scene, beating all types of times in his age group, but matching Bolt's career would be an unthinkable task at this stage, some in the industry argue.

No need for comparisons?

Former Olympic sprinter Justin Gatlin has warned against comparing the teenage sprint prodigy to the legendary Usain Bolt, despite the young athlete's impressive performances.

Hard to match

"Look at what Bolt did – and not taking anything away from Gout Gout or anybody else that's doing their thing right now and dominating - when Bolt was a junior, he had the junior world record, which at that point in time (2004) this dude ran 19 low nine (19.93) was his record, bro. You put that against these guys today, he is eclipsing them," shared the former American sprinter on the Ready Set Go podcast.

Too much pressure

"To say that this person is the next and that person is the next, I feel like we give the microphone to bandwagoners. Stop putting these young athletes on a path that comes with a lot of stress and pressure," Gatlin added during the interview.

Bayanda Walaza snatched gold

South African sprinter Bayanda Walaza snatched the gold with a remarkable time of 20.54 seconds. The 18-year-old sprinter is enjoying a great spell of form following his great display in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

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Jake Odey-Jordan took bronze

British runner Jake Odey-Jordan took home the bronze, after finishing the race in 20.81 seconds, behind Gout Gout. The Australian sprinter was one of the youngest athletes in the final.

Next Bolt?

Gout's impressive performances have led to comparisons with Usain Bolt, with many seeing significant potential in the young Australian sprinter. Gout has taken these comparisons in stride, calling them "pretty cool" and expressing appreciation for being likened to one of the greatest sprinters in history.

More Jamaican talent

Nevertheless, Gout is not the only youngster breaking hot records. Earlier this year, Jamaican sprinter Nickecoy Bramwell broke Bolt's under-17 400m world record at the Carifta Games. Young Bramwell clocked 47.26 seconds, beating Bolt's record by 0.07 seconds.

Two future stars?

Both Bramwell and Gout are emerging as two of the most talented sprinters under the age of 18, with fans eagerly debating who might eventually fill Usain Bolt's shoes. Each athlete brings a unique set of abilities and skills to the track. Bramwell excels in the 400m races, showcasing his endurance and confidence in longer sprints. On the other hand, Gout has proven to be stronger in the 100-200m races, leveraging his explosive power to deliver short bursts of speed.

Continues to inspire

Bolt's early career was marked by rapid progression from youth competitions to the professional stage, despite some initial setbacks due to injuries. His eventual success included winning silver at the 2007 World Championships and achieving a historic double gold in the 2008 Olympics. The current performances of young sprinters like Gout and Bramwell show that Bolt's records continue to inspire and challenge the next generation of athletes.

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