Who is Gout Gout? Australia’s 16-year-old sprint sensation breaking records
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Australia seems to have a promising sprinter in Gout Gout. His reputation was already growing quickly after his impressive performances as a teenage athletics prodigy, but his recent record-breaking achievements have highlighted him as a likely star in the sport.
At just 16 years old, Gout made a splash at the 2024 Australian All Schools Athletics Championships in Queensland, drawing attention well beyond his teenage years. The big question was how he would cope with the pressure. He answered that question decisively in the boys' 100m heats, sprinting to a wind-aided time of 10.04 seconds. This remarkable performance marks the fourth quickest time on record for an under-18 athlete, achieved just over a year before he turns 18.
Although the tailwind disqualified his attempt from being recorded, his time of 10.17 seconds in the final is valid and officially recognized. This places Gout sixth on the all-time list, but his shaky start indicates that he has the potential for much faster times in the future. Patrick Johnson currently holds the Australian 100m record with a time of 9.93 seconds, set in 2003 during a competition in Japan, and he remains the only Australian to have completed the 100m in under 10 seconds. It’s likely that Gout will soon be in a position to challenge that record.
The 16-year-old, the child of South Sudanese immigrants, was born close to Brisbane, just two years after his parents moved to Queensland. He is the third of seven siblings. As a student at Ipswich Grammar School, it didn't take long for coach Di Sheppard to recognize his incredible talent.
She remembered seeing him sprinting around the track and feeling something special about his movement. “I can’t quite explain it," she said, reflecting on their first encounter when they were both 13, "but my instinct was shouting at me: who is that kid?”
Success came remarkably fast. At just 14 years old, Gout was already outpacing top Australian athletes who were two years older than him. By the time he turned 15, he had set the U18 record for the 200m race.
In August, he participated in the World U20 Championships and earned a silver medal. Shortly after, Adidas signed him to his first contract, kicking off a sponsorship that could extend well into his professional career. Then, during the Queensland All-Schools Championships on the first weekend of November, Gout achieved a time of 20.29 seconds in the heats. In the rankings of the fastest youth performances in history, only Thai sensation Puripol Boonson, American sprinter Erriyon Knighton, and the legendary Usain Bolt have recorded faster times.
The Australian still has the opportunity to improve his record, beginning on Saturday when he competes in a distance that many believe is a better fit for him at the schools event in Brisbane.
It’s only natural to compare Gout to Bolt since they share a lot of stylistic traits, but the runner from Queensland is determined to create his own identity. When asked about these comparisons, Gout acknowledged, “I can see why people draw parallels. I have a long stride, my knees lift quite high, and I get a significant amount of elevation when I run.”
"I'm simply trying to be myself. Sure, I run much like him and occasionally resemble him, but I’m focused on carving out my own identity, and I believe I've achieved that to a good extent. My goal is to keep building on that success and remain true to myself, not just as Usain Bolt, but also as Gout Gout."
In January, Gout plans to team up with Lance Brauman, the innovative coach who has shaped Noah Lyles into a champion on both the Olympic and world stages. After winning on Friday, the ambitious Gout expressed hope for qualifying for the World Championships in Tokyo, while also reminding everyone that he is still quite young. “If that doesn’t work out, I’ll just finish my Year 12 studies,” he said. Meanwhile, Australia's sprinters Rohan Browning and Joshua Azzopardi faced tough competition in the first round of the Paris Olympics, with times of 10.20 seconds and 10.29 seconds, respectively. Gout is already surpassing those performances and could be a strong contender for the LA 2028 Olympics.
The short-term goals are evident, but there's plenty of reason to be optimistic for the future. The 2032 Olympics are scheduled to take place in Brisbane, which is Gout's hometown. By that time, Gout will be 25 years old, which is typically when athletes are at their peak. While it might be premature to compare this young athlete to the iconic Cathy Freeman as a representative for the Games, this rising sprinting talent seems to be heading in the right direction.
