Australian sprint prodigy Gout Gout blazes to new 200m heights

Gout Gout’s star continues to rise after the exciting young sprint prospect ran the fastest 200m by an Australian since 1993 at the Queensland All Schools Track and Field Championships.

The 16-year-old’s time of 20.29s in a heat at the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre made him the fourth-fastest Australian over 200m of all time, and the fourth fastest athlete in the world under the age of 18 over the distance.

He does not turn 17 until the end of December.

Usain Bolt, whose world record of 19.19s set at the 2009 World Championships still stands, ran 20.13 when he was the same age as Gout. Australia’s quickest over the distance, Peter Norman, laid down a time of 20.06 at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City.

Gout could not better his mark in the final in Brisbane, going slightly slower with a time of 20.52s, but it was still enough for him to claim the title and a championship record.

It is the latest in a string of eye-catching runs by the youngster, who won a silver medal at the world athletics U20 championships with a time of 20.60s earlier this year.

Bolt’s gold-medal time in the 200m final at the corresponding event in 2002, when the Olympic great was just shy of his 16th birthday, was 20.61.

Gout, one of seven children to parents Monica and Bona, was born in Brisbane after his parents migrated to Australia from South Sudan. The Queenslander had made headlines around the world before this latest feat, with footage of his searing pace and eye-catching stride at home meets going viral on social media.