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Following an exceptional run to win the Australian All Schools Championships, viral teen star Gout Gout reacted to breaking Usain Bolt's age-16 world best.
Australian teen sensation Gout Gout dubbed the next Usain Bolt further stamped his name to the hype after his history-making performances at the All Schools Championships in Brisbane.
The 16-year-old won the 200m event in a jaw-dropping 20.04s on Saturday, breaking Peter Norman's long-standing Australian national record of 20.06s clocked to win silver at the 1968 Olympics.
Gout's time is the fastest ever at that age, smashing Bolt's age 16 best of 20.13s and became the second-fastest by an athlete under the age of 18 - behind Erriyon Knighton's 19.84s as a 17-year-old in 2021. In addition, he hit the qualifying standard of 20.16s for the World Championships in Tokyo next year.
"It's pretty crazy," said Gout after his groundbreaking run in Brisbane.
"Right now I can't process it, but I guess tonight when I go to bed, I'll think about it. These are adults. And me, I'm just a kid, and I'm running them (down).
"I've been chasing that record, but I didn't think it would come this year. I thought it would come maybe next year, the year after that," he added.
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Gout, who turns 17 later this month, also ran an incredible wind-aided 10.04s (3.4m/s) to win his 100m heat on Friday.
The talented speedster ran smoothly in his lane as he stirred clear ahead of his peers before easing through the finish line. Despite the wind-assistance, the 10.04s is the fourth-fastest all-conditions time in Australian history.
In the final, he shattered Sebastian Sultana’s U18 national record of 10.27s to a legal 10.17s, further cementing his name that he's well on the path to being the greatest Australian sprinter in history.
At 6ft 2in, Gout's speed and running style have earned him comparisons with the legendary Usain Bolt. He is now being touted not just to challenge these events but to rule them as the iconic Jamaican by winning both 100m and 200m at the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
With his meteoric progress in the past year, and scheduled to travel to the United States in January to train with Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles, surely the starting point on his journey to greatness has just begun.
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