Category: Track and field

 

 

In another life, it’s not Usain Bolt the sprint king. It’s Usain Bolt the champion javelin thrower.

 

After securing an historic ‘triple triple’ of nine Olympic gold medals, the athletics icon used his much-earned downtime at Rio 2016 to try his hand at a new event.

 

 

Bolt won 100m, 200m and 4x100m gold at the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games, although one was retrospectively taken awayCredit: AFP

After the action on the day finished in the Olympic Stadium in Brazil, Bolt picked up a spare javelin spear to see if he had it in him to dominate another event.

 

A select few gathered around Bolt as he ran up and threw the spear where the best javelin throwers in the world had competed just days earlier.

 

And for a novice, Bolt’s javelin throw wasn’t half bad as he recorded a distance of 56 metres.

 

 

It’s an effort that was some way off challenging for gold in the men’s javelin at Rio 2016 with German Thomas Rohler securing the top prize with a mammoth 90.3m.

 

 

However, there are other Olympic competitions where Bolt wouldn’t look out of place with the javelin.

 

 

Bolt’s throw was longer than four competitors with the javelin in the men’s decathlon and a whole 10m ahead of the worst effort.

 

If Bolt was competing in the women’s heptathlon then he would’ve won the javelin event as his score was just about longer than Latvia’s Laura Ikauniece-Admidina’s winning throw of 55.9m.

 

 

Bolt, who retired from athletics in 2019, lost his ninth gold medal and thus lost his status as the only man to win 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay gold at three separate Olympic Games.

 

 

That’s because he and his Jamaica teammates were stripped of their 4x100m relay title from Beijing in 2008 as Nesta Carter’s doping sample from the Games was found to have contained the stimulant methylhexaneamine, a banned substance, following a batch of retesting.

 

After the ruling in 2017, Bolt said: “Initially I was disappointed, of course. But in life, things happen. I’m not sad… I’m just waiting to see what’s going to happen.

 

It would be interesting to see Bolt balancing a javelin on his arms while doing his iconic celebrationCredit: AFP

 

“But I gave up my medal.”

 

Carter appealed the decision but was unsuccessful in his case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, leaving Bolt on eight golds.

 

But perhaps if Bolt was to revisit javelin, just maybe he could dream of getting that ninth Olympic gold once more.

 

WATCH Gout Gout get just inches away from Usain Bolt’s 200m time in blistering sprint

 

 

Usain Bolt faced fierce competition during his sprinting career and once spoke on four other Olympians he felt would challenge him – and the quartet have gone on to have varying levels of success in their careers.

 

Bolt is now retired but has cemented his reputation as potentially the greatest sprinter of all times after claiming gold medals at three different Olympics.

 

The now 38-year-old burst onto the scene at Beijing 2008 by claiming gold in both the 100m and 200m events.

 

 

 

Bolt then competed at London 2012 to win gold in both events once again, as well as being part of the victorious 4x100m Jamaican relay team to take his tally to five medals across only two Olympics.

 

And Bolt further secured his legendary status by achieving yet another clean sweep in the same three events four years later at Rio 2016 to take his tally to an extraordinary eight Olympic golds.

 

Bolt retired the following year as his final race at the World Athletics Championship ending in disappointment through injury after he suffered a hamstring problem during the 4x100m relay final.

 

 

 

In 2012 when he became one of the stars of London 2012, Bolt name checked four other athletes he felt would be the ones to challenge him both then and in the years to come.

 

These included his compatriots Asafa Powell and Yohan Blake, plus American duo Tyson Gay and Justin Gatlin.

 

Usain Bolt with Asafa Powell and Yohan Blake.

Usain Bolt with Asafa Powell and Yohan Blake.

Speaking to The Guardian’s Donald McRae in 2012, Bolt said: “For me, Yohan is going to be a great athlete and, so far, he has shown the potential to be that great. But I think, definitely, Tyson Gay is one of the fiercest athletes out there.

 

 

 

“It’s not going to be him [Blake] alone. It’s going to be me, Asafa Powell, Tyson, Justin Gatlin and all these guys. It’s a packed race with top-class athletes so it will be a different level of competition for Yohan.

 

“It’s going to take a lot of focus. And it’s going to cause a lot of stress. It will really test him as an athlete – and as a person overall. We’ll see how good he is.”

 

What happened to the four sprinters Bolt predicted to be world stars?

The four athletes Bolt mentioned back in 2012 have gone on to have careers of different outcomes and fortunes.

 

 

 

Gay won a silver medal as part of the American 4x100m relay team, behind Bolt and Jamaica.

 

However, Gay was stripped of this medal after he tested positive for a banned substance and had a bronze medal stripped from him as he and the American 4x100m relay team were disqualified due to a baton exchange infraction involving Mike Rodgers and Gatlin.

 

Controversial athlete Gatlin has been banned twice owing to doping, but had five Olympic medals to his name.

 

Three of these came at Athens 2004, winning gold in the 100m, silver in the 4x100m and bronze in the 200m.

 

 

 

Gatlin also won bronze in the 100m at London 2012 and silver in the same event at Rio 2016, behind Bolt.

 

Blake took the silver medal behind Bolt at London 2012 in both the 100m and 200m, but was part of the victorious Jamaican 4x100m relay team.

 

And Blake repeated the feat along with Bolt, Powell and Nickel Ashmeade at Rio 2016.

 

Powell’s only Olympic medal came in that event, after he and the 4x100m relay team were disqualified from the event at Bejing 2008 despite claiming victory when Nesta Carter tested positive for a prohibited substance.

 

 

 

 

Gout Gout is on the precipice of world domination and doyen of Australian sports broadcasting Bruce McAvaney isn’t about to miss out on the teenager’s rise to stardom.

 

Gout stunned the athletics world again on the weekend, posting a pair of sizzling 200m times in the Queensland athletics championships in Brisbane.

 

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On Sunday, the 17-year-old dominated in the heats, with his run clocking 20.05, the fastest recorded time over 200m this year — eclipsing Zimbabwe’s Makanakaishe Charamba 20.13 in Texas last month.

 

Second place in Gout’s heat on Sunday, Zaine Leigh, posted 22.22 seconds, showing just how ahead Gout is from his nearest rivals.

 

With a legal wind of +1.2 metres per second at his back, Gout again bettered the Australian open record in the 200m – the 20.06 set by Peter Norman at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City that he broke in December.

 

After destroying his rivals in the heat, it appeared he still had more to give and there was every chance he could crack the 20-second mark later on Sunday. And that he did with an unbelievable 19.98 in the final.

 

There were jubilant scenes at the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre as the crowd watched on in awe as Gout proved again he is one of the hottest prospects in world athletics.

 

Also on hand was none other than McAvaney, the legendary athletics commentator who famously called Cathy Freeman’s victory in the 400m at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

 

Bruce McAvaney and Gout Gout embrace after Gout Gout won the Men 200m Under 20 Final during the Queensland Athletics Championships.

 

McAvaney embraced Gout after his run and the broadcasting legend exchanged a few words with the teenager in touching scenes.

 

“It’s an extraordinary moment in Australian athletics, we’ve waited for this,” McAvaney said.

 

“Wind assisted, yes, but it doesn’t matter (when you get) to see someone break 20 seconds.

 

“He’s a precious talent and we’ve got so much to look forward to. We’ve seen something today that all of us here will remember forever.”

 

The ABC’s Jessica Stewart posted on X: “A hug from the legendary Bruce McAvaney, who was in the stands to watch Gout run today..special moment here at QSAC, thousands in complete awe.”

 

“I had an unsteady start, and to be honest, after that I didn’t really feel like running,” Gout said.

 

“But it felt pretty good. I came off the bend and I just kept sending it. I felt the wind behind me, so I was like, let me just use it. And then I saw the clock, and when it got rounded down (to a sub-20 time), I just couldn’t be happier.”

 

Bruce McAvaney congratulates Gout Gout on his run.

 

Gout meets the Aussie broadcasting GOAT.

 

“I felt literally free,” Gout said post-race.

 

“I had 80-metres left to go, and I thought, let’s just send it. And only from then did I believe I had a chance of going sub (20 seconds).”

 

The teenager celebrated by hugging his coach Di Sheppard and he was mobbed by other competitors at the meet who were clamouring for an autograph and selfie.

 

“It feels great because I’ve been at that stage, watching Usain Bolt on the news and just getting goosebumps,” Gout said.

 

“Giving people goosebumps, it definitely feels great and I wish I can continue giving people more goosebumps that’s for sure.

 

“In my heat, there was no crowd, so when I came out (for the final) from warming up, I looked up behind me and there was this huge crowd. It just helps me fun faster, for sure.”

 

Gout Gout celebrates with his coach Di Sheppard after winning the Men 200m Under 20 Finals.

 

Gout Gout was flying in his 200m races.

 

Gout Gout of Tigers Athletics Club takes photos with competitors and fans after winning the Men 100m Under 20 Finals.

 

The Ipswich Grammar School student is just the seventh athlete aged under 20 to break the 20-second barrier over 200m.

 

Gout has already dipped under the 20.16 qualifying time for September’s World Athletics Championships in Tokyo and is going from strength to strength after training with Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles in the US.

 

He will next compete at the Maurie Plant Meet in Melbourne as part of the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold on March 29.

 

Gout Gout reacts after winning the U20 200m at the Queensland Athletics Championships.

Gout Gout got off to a flying start this season with record-breaking performance in his homeland and has revealed there’s more to come from him.

Teenage sprint sensation Gout Gout made a remarkable start to his 2025 season by blitzing the field in the 200m final to win the Queensland Athletics State Championships over the weekend.

 

While this was his first competitive race of the year, the 17-year-old broke a few records in the process, justifying why he has been likened to Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt, the fastest man alive.

 

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Gout Gout’s blistering sprint in the heat where he clocked 20.05s with a +1.2 wind, was the quickest 200m time recorded this year across all ages. Although his winning time of 19.98 seconds in the finals was not officially counted as his +3.6 tailwind was over the +2.0 threshold, his victory was enough to send a message to his rivals as he looks transformed ahead of the 2025 season.

 

‘I don’t make my money on the track’- Gabby Thomas on why she opts for multiple jobs beyond running

‘I don’t make my money on the track’- Gabby Thomas on why she opts for multiple jobs beyond running

Gout Gout afterwards, explained in an interview with talkSPORT how watching Bolt made him develop goosebumps and it is part of the reason he is focussed to succeed him in sprinting.

 

“It feels great because I’ve been at that stage, watching Usain Bolt on the news and just getting goosebumps. Giving people goosebumps, it definitely feels great and I wish I can continue giving people more goosebumps that’s for sure.”

 

Benni McCarthy names final Harambee Stars squad for Gambia and Gabon World Cup qualifiers

Benni McCarthy names final Harambee Stars squad for Gambia and Gabon World Cup qualifiers

Although it did not officially count, Gout’s time of 19.98s places him just behind sprint legend Usain Bolt’s fastest 200m time at the same age, which was 19.93s.

 

Better still, Got Gout entered elite company as he became just the seventh athlete aged under 20 to break the 20-second barrier in any condition and has now beaten the World Athletics Championship qualifying time of 20.16 twice this season.

 

 

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Gout Gout, who played soccer and grew up admiring Cristiano Ronaldo as his favourite footballer before making the decision to focus on athletics, is the Oceanian record holder in the 200m, with a time of 20.04 seconds set in 2024. Gout’s time broke Peter Norman’s 56-year record to become the fastest Australian in the 200m event.

 

The Queenslander, whose parents are from South Sudan, is set to feature at the Maurie Plant meet in Melbourne on March 29.

 

Quincy Wilson is becoming rather mainstream for making headlines, just like Noah Lyles. This time, the 17-year-old chose the New Balance National Indoor Championships. Racing in the 400m sprint on March 15, the Olympics history maker won the finals in 45.71 seconds. This becomes the second-fastest time in high school history. And the fastest in the New Balance Nationals Indoors ever, toppling his own time of 45.76 from 2024. But something else is drawing attention this time.

 

 

 

It’s not just the record and his pace. It’s the circumstances of the win that have left us surprised and in awe. Wait till you find out that he ran the 2nd-fastest time in school history while having breathing difficulties and other issues.

And here again, Quincy Wilson has found Noah Lyles with him. The most ardent track and field fans know the fastest man in the world has been battling chronic breathing problems all his life. And now, Paris Olympics starlet Quincy Wilson also reveals that he has had long-term respiratory problems.

 

The Bullis High Schooler raced in the New Balance Nationals Indoor Championships on March 15 in Boston and narrowly edged past Andrew Salvodon, who himself got the 4th-fastest time in school history, clocking 45.84. Taking to Instagram later, Citius MAG posted a clip of the 17-year-old breaking down the entire race for them. He walked us through how he got off to a good start: “I gotta go get six (sixth lane). I gotta go get six. When I came out of the blocks, I felt smooth … everything was smooth. I was trying to, like, stay, like, low with my arms.”

 

 

 

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Second-fastest 400m time in New Balance Nationals Indoors history

Second-fastest high school 400m time ever

Fastest high school 400m time ever

Fastest 400m time in New Balance Nationals Indoors history

 

 

Going into more technical details, he explained his implementation: “So, I was, like, not trying to use them (hands) as much just as yet. But then I felt the inside.” Cameron Homer, a fellow Bullis High-schooler of Quincy, gave him the first challenge. As Homer went past him from the inside, Quincy just kept calm. The Olympian continued, “Don’t panic. Been in this situation before. I wanted to get the break because I haven’t had a break all year. I kind of, like, got the break.”

 

His plan to go outside to overtake Homer worked: “I had to run outside, but I was just, like, I’m not running lane 2 this year. I’m cutting him. I cut him.” That’s when the crowd came alive. The teenage sensation, who has so many records to his name already, was in the lead: “This is where I start hearing people.” But with it came an uneasy feeling inside: “I’m starting to feel; all my lungs feel terrible. I mean, like, because of flu.” And the flu was not the only issue.

 

Eventually, Quincy won the race, as we know. The Paris Olympian was bullish: “But I’m just, like, I gotta be a dog. I seen him (Andrew Salvodon) coming up on me. I’m just, like, I gotta go to my arms. I gotta run. But I didn’t even know he was that close to come past me on the inside.” But Andrew didn’t cross him before the finish line.

Quincy Wilson was the New Balance Indoors race champ as he slowed down, walked near the crowd, and took it all in. Quincy was so prepared for the race, especially attitude-wise, as he was seen hyping up the crowd, almost as if telling them they knew who the #1 was.

 

But talking about the build-up to the New Balance Indoors race, he shared, “I even had bad asthma, so it was, like, it took me a long time to just, like, get back.” The speedster had been away from the tracks since the USA Indoor Championships on 23rd February. And now we know why. He said, “I haven’t run since USA’s. I’ve been in bed. I’ve been, yeah, I was real sick.”

 

The illness was made worse by the chronic breathing problem. Continuing, the Bullis High School star said, “I’ve been using my inhaler. I’ve been trying to get everything to make sure that I was ready for today.” This is not the first time Wilson overcame an injury obstacle to compete in a race. The biggest achievement of his life has come because he didn’t let injury keep him out.

 

When the qualifying heat came, he was there. Running a 47.27 split time, he started off the relay for team USA as they qualified for the finals with a time of 2:59.15. The rest, as we all know, is history. But coming back to the big revelation—that Quincy Wilson has asthma. It has been disruptive for him as it has been for Noah Lyles, who has been battling it all his life.

 

How Noah Lyles lives with asthma

If you don’t know what asthma is, it’s a condition where the airways in the lungs are affected, either by inflammation or by getting narrow. This makes it difficult for air to pass out when you exhale. Noah has had this condition since he was 3. Speaking to CNN in April 2020, the US sprinter said, “Asthma definitely affects kind of everything I do in terms of health, physical fitness, sometimes even emotional because if you’re emotionally fatigued, that can bring your immune system down.”

 

 

 

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The 27-year-old had to be homeschooled so that it didn’t make things worse for him. Add to that the change in diet, the operations to remove tonsils and adenoids when he was 7, and supplementary medication and vitamins. His parents haven’t left any stone unturned to ensure that asthma’s effect on Lyles is minimal. But still, he had suffered because of it all his life. He would return from races so exhausted and with breathing issues that he would have to miss Monday school.

 

 

 

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But Noah Lyles is an athlete who has refused to be kept down by it. Why is he the fastest man in the world? Asthma couldn’t stop him from winning the 100m race in just 9.784 seconds at Paris 2024. After the race, Lyles posted on X, “I have Asthma, allergies, dyslexia, ADD, anxiety, and Depression. But I will tell you that what you have does not define what you can become. Why Not You?”

 

The guy came in third in the 200m event, and wait for it. Noah Lyles ran the race with COVID. After the race, he collapsed in a heap. He left the track in a wheelchair, but he also left Paris with 2 medals. Yes, it’s unbelievable what these guys can do.

 

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Track and field may be all about speed, but when it comes to making a living? Slow and painful. And Gabby Thomas is not sugarcoating it at all. For years, track athletes struggled with money. But things finally looked to change.

But how? Well, Michael Johnson was supposed to be the bringer of change with his new Grand Slam track. If Johnson can walk the talk, then sprinters might be able to look at a hefty $400K a year. But as Gabby recently revealed, she isn’t quite sold yet. But what did the gold medalist have to say? Well, quite a bit.

 

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As Gabby put it, “the highest prize purse in our sport.” Sounds like a dream, doesn’t it? But today, Gabby Thomas is pulling back the curtain on the harsh reality. In a recent interview on A Touch More with Sue Bird & Megan Rapinoe, Nikki Hiltz and Gabby Thomas didn’t hold back when discussing Grand Slam Track and how it’s shaking up the track and field world. Both athletes are part of the series, and when asked why they joined, the answer was crystal clear—money. And not just any money, big money.

 

Unlike the usual grind where track athletes barely scrape by, this series pays. How much? Let’s do the math. A World Championships gold medal gets you $150,000, but win just one Grand Slam event, and you’re pocketing $100,000. Even eighth place takes home $10,000. Stack up four wins, and you’re looking at a cool $400,000. Now that’s not just running for glory—that’s running for a real paycheck.

 

 

 

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As Gabby Thomas put it, “It’s really striking to me how in track and field, unless you have an outside sponsorship, you don’t get paid.” And she’s not wrong. Unlike other pro sports with guaranteed salaries, track and field athletes rely solely on prize money and sponsorships—no wins, no paycheck. Athletes rely solely on prize money and sponsorships, but even those aren’t guaranteed.

 

 

What is the potential annual earnings for a sprinter who wins all four Grand Slam track events?

 

$400,000

$150,000

$500,000

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Gabby Thomas provided insight into the challenging reality of earning money in the athletic world. Prior to Grand Slam Track, most competitors had to travel overseas as excellent prize money existed only through international venues. Athletes relied on the Diamond League for prize money competitions since it awarded $10,000, but the funds soon faded!

 

“You do still have to, you know, if it’s not covered, pay for your travel, agent fees, coaching fees, and all of that. So hopefully, you go—like, the whole $10,000, there it goes,” she revealed. Many athletes would return home not with earnings but with debt. And even the biggest payouts weren’t exactly life-changing.

“In our main championship, the Diamond League Finals, I mean, you can win $50K,” Gabby Thomas said. Meanwhile, professionals from other disciplines continue to bring in millions.

 

The athletes of the Big 4 leagues (NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL) are already signed to multi-million dollar contracts. Now, this might be attributed to the franchise style system that’s prevalent. Regardless, this

 

creates an abundant contrast. The novelty of Grand Slam Track stands out because of its groundbreaking nature. Despite larger prize pools, track and field running remains an exceptionally tough profession from which to earn a living.

 

But what about Gabby Thomas? She depends on prize money but also maintains a separate job to keep her life stable. An Olympic medalist still needs to chase down additional jobs for financial stability. But what exactly is this side gig?

 

Gabby Thomas isn’t making money on the track, so where’s the real payday?

 

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“I don’t make my money on the track,” Gabby Thomas admitted, which turned out to be completely truthful. Despite her three Olympic gold medals, Gabby relies on more sources of income than prizes because athletic earnings cannot cover expenses. So where does the cash come from? According to Meaww, her net worth sits somewhere between $1 million to $5 million, but the track isn’t her main paycheck.

 

 

 

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On the Net Worth and Chill podcast, Gabby spilled the tea: “I have a job that is to run, but I have a second job.” And that second job? Being her own brand. “It’s to essentially be an influencer,” she explained. And she’s not just talking the talk—her 1.1 million Instagram followers, Vogue cover feature, and brand deals with Amazfit and CAVA prove she’s got the business game on lock.

 

With the Olympics paying $37,000 for gold—and even less for relay racers who have to split it—Gabby knew she had to secure the bag elsewhere. And honestly, the payout is almost laughable. When Gabby revealed the $37K Olympic prize, her podcast host, Lu, practically choked. “

 

That’s it? 37 G’s for what could be a lifetime worth of work? No, absolutely.” And she’s got a point.

 

 

 

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Athletes drop six figures on training, travel, and coaching just to make it to the podium, and that payout barely scratches the surface. No wonder Gabby and so many others are turning to brand deals and social media to keep their careers afloat. Because in track and field, running fast is one thing, but if you want to stay in the game, you’ve got to play smart.

 

 

Gout Gout ran an even quicker time of 19.98s – but only unofficially because of wind assistance

Gout Gout ran an even quicker time of 19.98s – but only unofficially because of wind assistance (Getty Images)

Australian sprinter Gout Gout set the world’s quickest time over 200m for 2025, demolishing the field at the Queensland Athletics Championships on Sunday.

The 17-year-old, who set a national record over the distance in December, crossed the line in 20.05s during the under-20 heats, beating the rest of the field by more than two seconds.

His time was a marked improvement on 2025’s previous best time, the 20.13s clocked by Zimbabwe’s Makanakaishe Charamba in Texas in February, and just outside his own national record and personal best of 20.04s. It was still quicker than Peter Norman’s previous national record of 20.06s, which had stood for 56 years until the youngster came along.

Gout even broke the 20-second barrier in the under-20 200m final at the meet in Brisbane, a wind-assisted 19.98s, but the time did not count due to the illegal +3.6m/s wind at his back.

Despite the unofficial time, the Queensland native can now be called the fastest Australian over 200m in all conditions. The teenager also sealed the under-20 100m title at the meet on Saturday, running 10.38s in the final and 10.39s in his heat.

It appears the sky is the limit for Gout, who improved on Usain Bolt’s best 200m time as a 16-year-old – 20.13s – with his Australian record in December. Bolt’s fastest 200m time aged 17 was 19.93s, which Gout is steadily creeping towards.

 

Australia athlete Gout Gout runs a 200m under-20 heat in Brisbane

Australia athlete Gout Gout runs a 200m under-20 heat in 20.05 seconds during the Queensland Athletics championships in Brisbane on 16 March. Photograph: Patrick Hamilton/AFP/Getty Images

Sprint sensation clocks 20.05 secs in U20 heat at state championships

Australian breaks 20-second barrier in final with wind-assisted 19.98s

Sprint sensation Gout Gout, Australia’s fastest man over 200m, has lit up the track with a world-leading run during the Queensland Athletics championships on Sunday.

 

Gout first blitzed the field in the under-20 heats to cross the line in 20.05s for the fastest 200m recorded across the globe in all ages in 2025. The 17-year-old smashed the previous best 20.13s clocked by Zimbabwe’s Makanakaishe Charamba in Texas last month but better was still to come in the final in Brisbane.

 

The sprint prodigy went on to break the 20-second barrier for the first time in the U20 200m final with a wind-assisted 19.98s. Gout brushed off a false start to set the blistering time that was deemed illegal for a +3.6m/s tailwind but is now the fastest 200m by an Australian in all conditions and the sixth-quickest by an U20 athlete.

 

Queensland sprinter Gout Gout has won the U20 100m title at the Queensland Athletics championships.

Unruffled, unstoppable: Gout Gout’s sparkling rise continues with 100m U20 title in Brisbane Read more

“At the bend I thought I can really send it,” Gout said. “I was happy and surprised but I feel a weight off my shoulders.”

 

Gout demolished the field in the 200m heat with a legal wind of +1.2m/s at his back to finish just 0.01s short of the national record he set at the same venue last December. While Gout was just outside his personal best of 20.04s (+1.5m/s), he again beat the previous Australian record that Peter Norman held for 56 years after running 20.06s at the Mexico City Olympics in 1968.

 

The Queenslander is moving to within touching distance of Usain Bolt’s fastest 200m time at the same age of 19.93s. Gout, who turned 17 in December, bettered the Jamaican’s personal best 16-year-old time of 20.13s when breaking the national record last year.

 

“It feels great because I’ve been at that stage watching people like Usain Bolt, getting goosebumps,” Gout said. “For me to give people goosebumps feels great.”

Aussie sensation Gout Gout has taken the athletics world by storm again, setting the quickest 200 metre time in the world this year with a dazzling display in Brisbane. A day after winning the 100 metre title at the Queensland Athletics State Championships, Gout expectedly toyed with his rivals in a 200 metre heat, bounding well clear soon after the start and extending the margin the further they went.

The result was never going to be in doubt, so all eyes were on the clock, with the 17-year-old stopping it in a lightning quick 20.05 seconds with a wind of +1.2 behind him.

While it’s 0.01 seconds shy of his personal best, the time is the fastest recorded in the world so far this year, eclipsing rhe previous 2025 record of 20.13 seconds. It’s the second time in three months Gout has beaten the former Australian 200m record which stood for over 50 years.

At the 1968 Olympic Games, Peter Norman set that record. Gout won the Under 20s 100m final on Saturday by over a half-second with a final time of 10.38 seconds.

It was only 0.01secs quicker than Gout went in winning his heat earlier on Sunday, and short of his fastest legal time of 10.17 seconds — achieved in the final at the Australian All-Schools Championships in Brisbane in December