“I think the limit is just obviously winning Olympics and winning world championships and just honestly dominating like Bolt did. So I think that’s a limit, a reachable for me,” said 17-year-old track and field sensation Gout Gout, whose bold ambition echoes the dominance of track legend Usain Bolt. Well, it’s not an empty dream. Gout is already doing things few teenagers ever have. Last year, he surpassed Usain Bolt’s U18 best, clocking 20.06 seconds in the 200m, faster than Bolt’s 20.13 at the same age. And this April, he set the track on fire at the Australian Championships, running 19.84 seconds with a +2.2 m/s tailwind. It was the fastest time ever recorded by an Australian over 200m—senior or junior. So it’s no surprise that respected track journalist Dan Clark called him “as promising as Bolt” and predicted he’d be an Olympic champion someday.

But now, a question is quietly circling the track world—and growing louder. If Gout is already running times fit for the global elite, why is he racing in a U23 event at the Monaco Diamond League on July 11, rather than lining up with the professionals?

To many, it feels like a contradiction. Back in 2003, a 16-year-old Usain Bolt was winning the World Youth Championships in Sherbrooke. By 2004, he was racing the Golden Spike Super Grand Prix and representing Jamaica at the Olympics, going head-to-head with the world’s best. Gout, meanwhile, will be tucked into the pre-programme U23 200m—a supporting act, not the main stage. However, the decision hasn’t gone unnoticed.

On May 9, NCAA star sprinter Erin Brown took to X to voice many fans’ thoughts. In her now-viral post, she questioned the decision in blunt terms, saying, in effect: “What’s the point of going wayyy out there do to this B_! Ni___ just run with the pros in the regular 200! This the first time I seen a m_ sign a pro deal and become allergic to compete against pros.” It’s a fair question, though. Has Gout’s team opted for a slow-burn approach to his career, easing him into high-pressure races to preserve his long-term health and development? Or are they playing it too safe, holding back a young man who may already be ready to shake up the senior ranks? The track and field world has yet to get an answer. But this year, Gout Gout has already competed against the seniors in races and has earned success. Evidence? 

In April, Gout Gout delivered a jaw-dropping performance that echoed across the track and field world. With a blistering 19.84 (+2.2 m/s wind) in the 200m at the Australian Championships, the 17-year-old not only broke into sub-20 territory—he obliterated a national record that had stood since 1968, surpassing the legendary Peter Norman’s 20.06. And this wasn’t a junior meet. This was a senior final, with the best in the country. Gout didn’t just survive—he dominated.

He also won the 200m at the Queensland Championships a month earlier, showing consistent elite form. And after a silver medal at the 2024 World U20 Championships, he’s now looking ahead to his senior international debut in Japan later this season. So here’s the million-dollar question: Why is Gout running the U23 pre-programme race at the Wanda Diamond League in Monaco on July 11… and not the main event with the world’s best? To many fans, the move makes no sense. They argue that he’s proven he can beat pros, so what’s the point of holding him back now?

The track and field fans criticize the Diamond League 

Every time Gout Gout blazes down the track, the comparisons to Usain Bolt grow louder. And for good reason. Back in December 2024, Gout broke Bolt’s U16 world record at the Australian All Schools Championships. Since then, his name has been almost inseparable from Bolt’s legacy. So, with times that already match or surpass what Bolt was doing at the same age, why isn’t Gout racing in the main Diamond League 200m in Monaco? One frustrated fan put it bluntly:“They keep putting that Usain Bolt label on him every time he runs fast.. Now they afraid to allow him run with bulls they will run over.” And that sentiment is spreading.

Some believe Gout’s U23 slot in the pre-programme isn’t about development—it’s about control. “Sounds like DL will protect him, pump his value for ticket sales and make their millions. Worlds may be his first legit pro meet,” one fan speculated. Another echoed the same skepticism: “Harsh… but I agree. It must have been agreed in his contract though. He’s only run 2 Senior races this year… and I suspect that’s all he’s gonna run.” Those two races? The Queensland Championships and the Australian Championships. Both wins. Both dominant. What more does he need to prove?

Some fans have even floated wild theories: “They’re just trying to let him false start without too many people questioning it.” That comment came after Gout survived two false starts en route to that national title in April—a race that ended with him roaring past the finish in 19.84, a time many seniors dream of hitting. So what’s the real reason? Is it cautious management? Contractual strategy? Marketing manipulation? Or is track and field simply unsure how to handle a teen prodigy who looks ready to sprint with the giants?

Whatever the case, the whispers are turning into roars. And if Gout Gout truly wants to “dominate like Bolt did,” then soon—very soon—he’ll need to be let loose on the big stage. Because the world isn’t just watching. They’re waiting.