Teenage sprint sensation Gout Gout has the chance to make Australian athletics history this weekend as he returns to the track for the first time this year at the Queensland Championships.
Speaking to ‘Fox Sports Australia’, Gout’s manager, James Templeton, expressed confidence that the 17-year-old could break both the 10-second barrier in the 100m and the 20-second mark in the 200m—an unprecedented achievement for an Australian sprinter, let alone at the same meet. Templeton acknowledged that ideal conditions would be crucial, noting that factors like wind speed and temperature would play a role in achieving such remarkable performances. With Brisbane’s forecast predicting near-perfect conditions, the possibility remains within reach.
Gout has already proven his ability to push boundaries. In December, he clocked a legal 10.17 seconds in the 100m final at the Australian All-Schools Championships before shattering Peter Norman’s 56-year-old national 200m record with a blistering 20.04 seconds the following day. That time would have placed him sixth in last year’s Olympic final in Paris.
Despite strong competition from fellow Australian sprinters like Lachlan Kennedy, Rohan Browning, and Sebastian Sultana, Gout stands out as the youngest in the group, still in high school. His times are expected to drop further as he continues to build strength. Templeton emphasized that Gout is not intimidated by his domestic rivals but welcomes the heightened competition as a positive sign for Australian sprinting.
While Gout will compete only in the U20 100m at the Queensland and Australian Championships, he will focus on the open-age 200m at the national titles in April, aiming for a spot at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September. His impressive performances, combined with a national record and a top-two finish at the Australian Championships, could secure him a place on the national team for the 200m.
Gout has already trained with reigning Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles in the U.S., even appearing on Lyles’ podcast, ‘Beyond The Records’, where he confidently declared his intention to compete against the world’s best. Lyles, amused by the teenager’s boldness, welcomed the challenge.
With his rapid progression and fearless attitude, Gout may be on the verge of another groundbreaking performance. All eyes will be on him as he takes to the track this weekend.
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