Australian teenage sprinting star Gout Gout stunned the athletics world on Friday, recording the fourth-fastest under-18 100m time ever with a wind-assisted 10.04 seconds during the heats at the All-Schools Athletics Championships in Queensland.
While the tailwind prevented the time from being officially recorded, it still marks the fourth-fastest 100m sprint by an Australian sprinter of any age. The under-18 all-time fastest 100m was set by American Erriyon Knighton in 2021 with a wind-assisted 9.99 seconds. Fellow American Jelani Watkins and Thailand’s Puripol Boonson hold the second and third spots, both running 10.02 in 2021 and 2023, respectively.
Later on Friday, when wind conditions eased, Gout delivered an impressive legal 10.17 seconds in the final. This run broke the Australian under-18 record of 10.27, previously held by Sebastian Sultana, and improved his personal best of 10.29. It is now the sixth-fastest legal under-18 100m time ever.
“I’ve been chasing this national record for a while now!” Gout said after his victory, according to Athletics Australia. “In the heat, I thought I got it, but the tailwind was crazy. I just did the same thing again in the final and got the job done.”
A Rising Sprinting Star
Gout Gout first broke onto the scene in 2022 when he ran the 100m in 10.57 seconds as a 14-year-old. Since then, the Australian sprinter—who turns 17 in late December—has drawn comparisons to legendary sprinter Usain Bolt.
In August 2024, Gout grabbed further headlines at the World Athletics U20 Championships when he ran 20.60 seconds in the 200m event—beating the time set by a 15-year-old Usain Bolt in 2002 by 0.01 seconds. Bolt’s performance had been the record at the time, underscoring Gout’s rapid rise in the sport.
Gout is set to compete in the 200m event on Saturday at the same Queensland championships, with fans eagerly anticipating another stellar performance.
Future Prospects
With a sponsorship deal secured with Adidas and growing attention on his achievements, Gout is already making strides toward sprinting greatness.
“In January, I’m going overseas to train with Noah Lyles and his coach Lance Brauman,” Gout revealed after Friday’s race. “Hopefully, we can qualify for the Tokyo World Championships. If not, I’ll just finish Year 12 at school.”
At just 16 years old, Gout Gout has firmly established himself as one of the world’s most promising young sprinters, with his record-breaking performances hinting at even greater achievements in the years to come.
