Eighteen-year-old Australian sprint prodigy Gout Gout turned heads on Sunday after claiming the national 200m title with a time quicker than what Usain Bolt recorded at the same age.
The teenager stormed to victory in Sydney, clocking 19.67 seconds to set a new world under-20 record and register the fastest time in the world this year. It also marked his first legal run under 20 seconds, following a wind-assisted 19.84 performance last season.
His time beats Bolt’s 19.93 set in 2004 when the Jamaican star was 17, a mark that stood as a world junior record at the time. Bolt did not surpass that time as a teenager before later dominating global sprinting and setting multiple senior world records.
Gout had already made headlines earlier, posting 20.06 in 2024 — the fastest ever by a 16-year-old — signaling his emergence on the global stage.
American sprinter Erriyon Knighton still holds the fastest under-20 time ever at 19.49 seconds, set in 2022, though it was not officially ratified. His recognised 19.69 record, also from 2022, stood until Gout’s latest breakthrough.
Compatriot Aidan Murphy also impressed, finishing second in 19.88, making it the first time two Australians ran sub-20 seconds in the same race.
“This is what I’ve been waiting for,” Gout said after the race.
“We have such incredible athletes in Australia and me being able to race these athletes, we push each other to the limits. Two Australians sub-20. I mean, this is amazing.
“There’s a big weight off my shoulders knowing I ran it legally, and I have the speed and my body to run times like that. So, it definitely feels great, and ready for more.”
Despite his rapid rise, Gout has said he will skip the upcoming Commonwealth Games starting July 23, choosing instead to focus on the World Under-20 Championships in Oregon in early August.