Gout Gout: 16-year-old sensation beats Australian 200m record held for 56 years

Teen Gout Breaks 56-Year-Old Aussie Record

Latest Update: December 7, 2024, at 10:03 AM

Gout has shattered the Australian record for the 200 meters, a record that had remained unbroken for 56 years.

Sixteen-year-old Gout Gout completed the 200 meters in 20.04 seconds on Saturday at the Australian school championships, surpassing the national record that had been set by Peter Norman during the 1968 Olympics.

His initial time was recorded as 20.07 seconds, but it was later adjusted to 20.04 seconds. This new time not only beat the 20.06 seconds that Norman achieved to secure a silver medal, but it also marked a significant improvement for him.

With that achievement, Gout has set the record as the quickest 16-year-old in history.

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"It's absolutely wild," Gout shared with Reuters.

I can’t really wrap my head around it at the moment, but I have a feeling that tonight, when I lie down to sleep, it’ll be on my mind. These are grown-ups, and here I am, just a kid, calling the shots.

"I've been working hard to break that record, but I honestly didn't expect it to happen this year. I figured it would likely be next year or possibly the year after."

Gout recorded the fourth-fastest 100m heat time by an Australian, finishing in 10.04 seconds, even with challenging wind conditions.

Currently, Gout is concentrating on surpassing the 10-second mark in the 100 meters and the 20-second mark in the 200 meters.

He will also be concentrating on the 2032 Olympics, scheduled to be held in Brisbane, just a short distance from his hometown, when he turns 24.

"I've always followed through on my promises," Gout mentioned on Saturday. "If I commit to something, it's important to me, and I won't stop chasing it until I succeed."

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