Australian sprinting prodigy Gout Gout continues to turn heads, stunning the athletics world yet again with a jaw-dropping performance at the Stawell Gift heat. The 17-year-old, who’s frequently likened to Usain Bolt, left spectators speechless after dominating the unique, handicapped sprint event in Victoria.
Running in the second-last heat of the day, Gout clocked 12.31 seconds in the 120-metre race, starting with a one-metre handicap. While not a standard race distance, Gout’s explosive finish caught global attention especially thanks to overhead footage showing the teen powering past his competitors with remarkable ease.
Though his time was just shy of that in the final heat, 21-year-old Lachlan Kennedy turned in a show-stealing effort of his own. Starting from a challenging backmark of 0.25m, Kennedy posted 12.23 seconds, clearly easing off in the final stretch to play to the crowd. His relaxed finish hinted at more left in the tank.
There's a 17-year-old kid in Australia, named Gout Gout, who has run 100m in 9.99 seconds, and 200m in 19.84 seconds.
He is considered to have as much potential as Usain Bolt, and will probably be an Olympic champion one day.
Here's some absolutely crazy footage of him today… pic.twitter.com/ScO3qpr2hc
— Dan Clark (@DanClarkSports) April 19, 2025
This overhead shot of Gout Gout winning his Stawell Gift heat from @VicAthLeague 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/HtRKqOYi6a
— Andrew Hawkins (@AndrewNJHawkins) April 19, 2025
Still, it was Gout’s run that took the spotlight, with video clips from the Victorian Athletics League spreading rapidly online. Gout later reflected that the 120-metre distance suits him perfectly, as it gives him more time to reach full speed, something he struggles with in the shorter 100m event. “It kind of felt like I was running on a synthetic track,” Gout said. “Mentally, I love chasing people down, so this style of race really fits me.”
The teenager’s performances have already created global buzz. He previously stunned fans by breaking the 10-second barrier in the 100m and dipping under 20 seconds in the 200m during meets in Perth. Unfortunately, those times weren’t eligible as official records due to wind assistance beyond the legal +2.0 m/s limit. However, more recently, Gout recorded a wind-assisted 9.99 seconds twice in the 100m and 19.84 in the 200m times that signal a promising future.
Gout is now gaining serious momentum, with his name being mentioned more frequently in elite track circles. As his path begins to steer toward the American racing scene and potentially the World Championships later this year, expectations are only growing.
Meanwhile, Lachlan Kennedy surprised many with his commanding heat win, emerging as a potential favorite in Victoria. Kennedy later shared that he eased up once he realized the race was his: “As soon as I saw I was in front, I thought, ‘time to have some fun.’”
A longtime fan of the event, Kennedy expressed how special it was to finally take part in the storied Stawell Gift. “There’s so much history behind this race,” he said. “It’s an honor to compete here, and I hope I can step it up again in the semis and finals. There’s definitely more to come.”
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