Last month, as Australia’s teenage sensation Gout Gout sat across Noah Lyles on his podcast, he didn’t mince his words about his ambitions. “Whatever I’ve got to do to show Noah I am coming for that spot,” he told Lyles. The Paris Olympic gold medalist, no stranger to bold claims, acknowledged the enthusiasm of the young sprinter, who surpassed Lyles’ own personal best mark of 47.04 seconds in the 400m by nearly a full second in February. This was another insight into the elite mindset of Gout Gout. H has been turning heads and shattering records—including breaking Usain Bolt’s long-standing junior 200m record—ever since he stepped up. Now, he might have his eyes set on making more history.

Gout Gout is all set to compete in the Queensland Championships this weekend and has the chance to make history. The event will also mark his preparation for the massive showdown at the Stawell Gift next month. Having trained alongside Noah Lyles in Florida during the Australian summer, he has only competed in one 400m and one 100m last month, but now he is gearing up for a four-meet Australian program starting in Brisbane and according to his manager he could make more history at the event.

Speaking with Fox Sports Australia on Tuesday, Gout’s manager James Templeton said that there is every chance that the 17-year-old could break the 10-second barrier for the 100 meters at the event and even become the first Australian to go sub-20 seconds over 200 meters as well if the conditions favor him.

Notably, no Australian has ever achieved the double, let alone at the same meet and on consecutive days. But Templeton is backing Gout. “It’s not impossible. If everything is in his favor I think he’s a chance to run under 10 seconds anytime he races really,” he said. Only one other Australian, Patrick Johnson, has recorded a sub-10-second time in the 100 meters. His 9.93-second run was set in 2003. When asked whether Gout can post a time under 20 seconds in the 200m, Templeton replied, “That’s always on the cards.” But his optimism comes with a hint of caution.

He mentioned, “He’s not going to do anything like that into a negative wind. I’d say ‘28 degrees, between one and a half and two meters at his back, and a nice start and he’s feeling great.’” The forecast in Brisbane is for 27 degrees during the meet weekend. But Gout is more than up for the challenge.

Thanks to Adidas, the teenage phenom spent mid-January training alongside none other than Noah Lyles in Clermont, Florida. There, he got an up-close look at what makes a champion tick and picked up key lessons to refine his technique. The results were on display at the Joanna Stone Shield in Brisbane last month, where Gout put on a show, dominating the 400m with a scorching 46.20 seconds. The win was impressive, but what made it even more special? That time was faster than the best 400m mark Noah Lyles ever recorded—47.04 seconds back in 2016. The reigning sprint king himself never clocked that fast in his youth, putting Gout’s trajectory into even sharper focus.

“Training was great in Florida and we’re confident he’s kicked on further. Gout is really looking forward to this weekend, as always he’s looking to run fast. Faster than before,” Templeton told The Guardian earlier. Meanwhile, the meet in Queensland is not going to be Gout’s only challenge in the coming months.

He’ll compete in the under-20 category over 100m at the Queensland and Australian Athletics Championships, meaning he won’t cross paths with some of the big names in the Australian track and field sphere until the Stawell Gift in late April. He faces a challenge from fellow Queenslander Lachlan Kennedy, who stunned with a time of 10.03 seconds at the Perth Track Classic earlier this month. Apart from Kennedy, Rohan Browning, Sebastian Sultana, Joshua Azzopardi, and Jacob Despard all have faster times over the distance than Gout. But as per his manager, Gout isn’t feeling the heat.

“Certainly, it doesn’t daunt him. He can’t be fretting about some decent local competition. It’s great for Australian athletics,” Templeton said while addressing the challenge from Gout’s compatriots. This shouldn’t come as a surprise given how confident Gout is in his own step.

A glimpse of it was seen when he appeared on Beyond The Records, co-hosted by Lyles and reigning Olympic 110m hurdles champion Grant Holloway.

Talking about his ambitions, Gout didn’t hesitate to say, “I am trying to show you what’s up, I am trying to come out there with a bang.” This comment brought a smile to Lyles’ face who mentioned, “That’s what I love to hear.”

“Obviously, it’s a learning experience but deep down I’m trying to get a medal for sure or even make that final and be running up Noah or trying to chase Noah down for sure,” Gout continued, sending a message to the three-time Olympic and seven-time World Championship medallist. Confidence is not in short supply for Gout Gout and it is easy to see why.

Noah Lyles’ potential rival has delivered throughout his track and field career until now

Since bursting onto the global track and field scene in 2023, Gout Gout has been rewriting records and turning heads with his electrifying speed. His talent first made waves at the World Athletics U20 Championships, where he stormed to a silver medal in the 200m with a blazing 20.60 seconds—an achievement made even more astonishing by the fact that he was just 16 at the time. That performance also cemented his place in Australian history as the national U18 record holder. But Gout wasn’t done!

The next season, he came back with more in his belly. On November 3, 2024, he dropped a jaw-dropping 20.29 seconds in the 200m, launching himself to fourth place on the U18 all-time list. Can you guess what the names were ahead of him? A band of sprinting powerhouses—Erriyon Knighton (19.84), Usain Bolt (20.13), and Puripol Boonson (20.19). A month later, he set the needle more minutely.

On December 16, Gout broke Australia’s long-standing 200m record with a blazing 20.04 seconds, surpassing Peter Norman’s 56-year-old mark. So, he shaved 0.25 seconds from his previous best and set himself higher than Bolt on the list. And can you guess what his age was then? A mere sixteen years young. Not surprisingly, Gout Gout’s bold challenge to Noah Lyles is rooted in his remarkable early accomplishments, strong support system, and premium training resources. However, the track and field world hopes his manager’s statement will prove correct.