Teenage sprint star Gout Gout shatters historic 200m Australian record

Australian sprinter Gout Gout’s rapid rise has reached glorious heights as the 16-year-old broke one of the country’s most famous records at the All-Schools Championships in Brisbane.

The teenage sensation shattered Peter Norman’s 200m national record that has been the benchmark for 56 years when powering around the track in 20.04s in the final on Saturday.

Norman set the longstanding record of 20.06s while winning silver at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, then stood on the dais in support of Tommie Smith and John Carlos as they gave a black power salute.

But Gout has announced himself as the most exciting Australian sprinter in more than half a century, as he eclipsed Norman’s time by 0.02s with a legal +1.5m/second tailwind.

“These are adult times and me, just a kid – I’m running them,” Gout said. “It’s going to be a great future for sure. I didn’t expect it to be that fast but I guess I ran Australia’s fastest ever time in the 200. I have been chasing that record but I didn’t think it would come this year. I thought maybe next year or the year after that.”

Gout is now the second fastest under-18 sprinter over 200m behind only US athlete Erriyon Knighton who set the world record of 19.84s as a 17-year-old in 2021. Former underage world record-holder Usain Bolt ran 200m in 20.13s as a 16-year-old in 2003, and holds the 200m all-age world record of 19.19s set at the 2009 world championships.

The Queenslander claimed silver at the world under-20s championships in August in a time of 20.60s, then lowered his personal best to 20.29 at the Queensland All Schools Championships last month before blowing it away on Saturday. Gout is now the sixth-fastest under-20 sprinter over 200m, at the age of 16, with Knighton also holding that record of 19.49s.

“My video went viral right before world juniors and that already created pressure,” Gout said. “But you know what they say, pressure makes diamonds and I guess I’m better than a diamond right now. We just take little steps; beat my PB by 0.01 and 0.02. Chasing that big sub-20, it will be great for sure but I’m not expecting too much.”

Gout had earlier lit up the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre track with a wind-assisted 10.04 in his 100m heat on Friday.