Australian teen sprint sensation challenges wind, eyes record
The 17-year-old Australian sprinter Gout Gout, who is increasingly being compared to the renowned Jamaican athlete Usain Bolt, clocked an impressive 9.99 seconds twice during Thursday's events in Perth. However, the result will not be officially recognized due to the presence of an excessively strong tailwind.
During the events in Perth, 17-year-old Australian sprinter Gout Gout ran the 100 metres twice in 9.99 seconds. Although this time will not be officially recorded because of the strong wind, the young athlete showcased his immense talent.
Gout Gout - a hope for Australian sprinting
Gout, the son of immigrants from South Sudan, competed in the national under-20 championships at the WA Athletics Stadium. He initially clocked 9.99 seconds in the heats with a wind speed of 11 feet per second and then repeated this time in the final with a wind speed of 9 feet per second.
"I mean, that's what I was hoping for said Gout after the race, although he admitted he wasn't entirely satisfied with his start. The ambitious sprinter aims to become the second Australian to break the 10-second barrier (more than 20 years after Patrick Johnson achieved 9.93 in Japan in 2003).
Gout Gout like Usain Bolt?
Despite the unrecognized result from Perth, Gout Gout continues to make significant progress. His best wind-assisted time is 10.04 seconds, achieved during the national school championships a few months earlier. Gout's official personal best for 100 metres is 10.17 seconds.
In December 2024, Gout set the Australian record for 200 metres, achieving a time of 20.04 seconds in Brisbane. In doing so, he improved on Peter Norman's record from the 1968 Mexico Olympics, which was 20.06 seconds.
