He has already shattered one of Usain Bolt’s most impressive records, but young sprinting prospect Gout Gout does not want to be compared to the great man
Jamaica’s Usain Bolt wins the men’s 100m final at the Olympics Stadium on the ninth day of the Rio Olympics Games, Brazil
One young star is being compared to Usain Bolt
The manager of Australian sprinting sensation Gout Gout has once again urged people to stop comparing him to Usain Bolt.
Gout Gout, 16, started garnering attention at the age of 14 years old when he smashed one of the eight-time Olympic gold medallists long-standing records. In August, he surpassed Bolt’s 200m event record he set at the Under-20 World Championship, by registering a lightning fast 20.60 second time.
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He also ran the fastest time by an Australian in 31 years when he clocked a 20.29 second 200m at the All Schools Queensland Championship earlier this month. His early exploits has already seen Adidas offer him a sponsorship deal.
As part of that endorsement, he received an offer to train with Olympic gold medallist and Team USA star Noah Lyles. Despite the praise and the fanfare, his coach is asking people to calm down.
While speaking to ABC Sport, Gout’s manager James Templeton, said: “I’ve avoided using the ‘UB’ [Bolt] comparison. I think that’s unfair to a young athlete.
“For 18 months I’ve basically said a blanket ‘no’ to every media outlet in Australia that has asked. We just want to allow him to be a normal kid at school.
“We don’t want him to have any distraction. It’s all going to be ahead of him. We want his life to be as normal as possible for as long as possible. But the modern world with viral videos, despite saying no to media, he has gone viral and everybody is starting to get to know him.”
Gout Gout claimed silver medal at the U20 World Championships. (
When asked if Gout Gout could be an Olympic great, Templeton added: “Having seen a lot of great young athletes and sprinters over the years, I’m firmly convinced he has that something a little bit special to kick through to the very highest levels.
“It’s great watching him run. He’s got that flow and rhythm which is just mesmerising. Watching him come off the bend and in that last 50-60 metres, it’s very special.”
Inevitably, questions about Bolt have also been pitched to Gout Gout. Instead of telling people to quit with the comparisons, Gout is taking all of the attention and hype in his stride. In a previous interview, he said: “It’s pretty cool.
“Usain Bolt is arguably the greatest athlete of all time, and just being compared to him is a great feeling. Obviously, I’m Gout Gout, so I’m trying to make a name for myself. If I can get to the level he was that would be a great achievement.”
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As well as eight Olympic gold medals, Bolt also won 14 medals in the World Championships, 11 gold medals, two silvers and one bronze. He still holds the world record for the 100m, which he set at the 2009 World Championship in Berlin.
He romped to victory in 9.58 seconds. Considering he has already broke one of the Jamaican’s world records, Gout will surely have his eye on the biggest benchmarks.
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