Who excactly is Gout Gout? The Australian sprinting wonderkid set to start training with Noah Lyles and is earning comparisons to Usain Bolt?
At just 16 years old, Australian sprinter Gout Gout is rewriting the record books and positioning himself as one of the brightest prospects in athletics.
Born near Brisbane as the third of seven children to South Sudanese immigrants, Gout’s rise has been nothing short of meteoric, capturing the attention of the global track and field community.
Gout Gout was born two years after his parents settled in Queensland, where they established a new life after leaving South Sudan. He currently attends Ipswich Grammar School, where his athletic potential was discovered early.
Di Sheppard, who now coaches Gout, first spotted him at age 13. “I saw him running on the oval, and there was just something about him and the way he moved,” Sheppard recalled to The Indipendent.
Her instinct was right—Gout, who stands at 6 feet & 2 inches tall, quickly began to outpace athletes significantly older than him.
In August 2024, Gout further cemented his reputation on the international stage, earning a silver medal at the World U20 Championships. Later, he signed a sponsorship deal with Adidas, signaling the start of what promises to be a long and lucrative career.
His most recent exploits came at the Australian All Schools Athletics Championships in Queensland, where Gout showcased his remarkable potential.
In the 100m heats, he clocked a wind-assisted 10.04 seconds—the fourth-fastest time in history for an under-18 athlete. While the tailwind rendered the time ineligible for records, he followed it up with a legitimate 10.17 seconds in the final, placing him sixth on the all-time U18 list.
However, it was his performance in the 200m that truly made history. Gout ran 20.04 seconds, breaking Peter Norman’s 56-year-old Australian record of 20.07 seconds. This time would have earned him a fifth-place finish in the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, underscoring his world-class ability at just 16 years of age.
With his long stride, high knee lift, and towering frame, Gout’s running style has drawn inevitable comparisons to sprinting legend Usain Bolt. The young Australian acknowledges the resemblance but is focused on carving out his own identity.
“I do see it [the Bolt similarity],” Gout told Nine. “My stride length is pretty long, my knee height is pretty high, and just the amount of tallness I get when I’m running. I’m just me trying to be me. Obviously, I do run like him. I do sometimes look like him, but I think I’ve done a pretty good job of making a name for myself. I just want to continue doing that and continue to be not only Usain Bolt but Gout Gout.”
Gout’s performances place him in elite company. His personal best of 20.04 seconds at age 16 surpasses the 200m times of a young Bolt at the same age. Only American prodigy Erriyon Knighton remains ahead of Gout in the all-time U18 rankings, with a best of 19.84 seconds.
In January 2025, Gout is set to join renowned coach Lance Brauman, who has guided athletes like Noah Lyles to global success. This move is expected to elevate his performance further as he targets qualifying for the Tokyo World Championships.
“Hopefully we can qualify for the Tokyo World Championships,” Gout said after his record-breaking performance, before adding a reminder of his youth. “If not, I’ll just finish my school in Year 12.”
While his immediate focus is on improving his times and gaining international experience, Gout’s long-term goals are clear. The 2032 Olympics in Brisbane will likely be the pinnacle of his career, as he will be 25 and at his athletic prime.
Gout Gout’s journey from a young boy in Queensland to one of the most exciting talents in athletics is nothing short of inspiring.
With his record-breaking performances, comparisons to Usain Bolt, and upcoming partnership with Lance Brauman, Gout is well on his way to becoming a global sprinting superstar.
As Australia looks toward the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, Gout’s name is one to watch as he aims to make history on the world stage
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