Gout Gout’s actions have sparked conversations among everyone. After all, not every day do we come across an athlete who is worthy of being compared with the legendary Usain Bolt. Well, with the 16-year-old Aussie sprinter, things are now not limited to just comparisons. He has let his talent take over as the world dropped its jaws to witness the blitzkrieg. Throughout the entirety of 2024, Gout has been in impeccable form. 

While breaking records became like a hobby, it all culminated at the Australian All Schools Championships. Taking to the track in Brisbane on December 7, Gout evicted none other than Bolt from his throne. And the category? Well, it’s Bolt’s favorite 200m! Running a record timing of 20.04s, Gout became the fastest 16-year-old 200m runner in the entire history of track and field. 

What is more shocking is the fact that the previous holder of the record, Bolt, was significantly slower than Gout. At 20.31s, the track legend looks a quarter of a second slower than Gout. Surely, that is an impressive achievement! But we are not done yet. Coming out of the Bolt comparison, the teen titan has also ruffed up some feathers in his own country. Gout at 16 is now the fastest 200m Australian track star in history. He beat the record of Michael Norman’s 20.06s 200m dash at the 1968 Olympics. 

Now, while these are some mind-numbing numbers, there is something that is bothering US track legend Michael Johnson. While he is indeed impressed with the work the 16-year-old has done, Johnson looks flabbergasted by a different piece of stat. As a matter of fact, Norman’s 200m record of 20.06s stood for 56 years as the Australian record has astonished the US track legend. Taking to his X account, a surprised Johnson wrote, “Peter Norman was one of my heroes. Hard to believe no Australian had runner faster than 20.06 over the last 56 years!”

Now, Johnson might not be happy with the current Australian track setup. But he surely is not shying away from giving Gout his flowers. After all, as an advocate of Grand Slam Track, it is quite normal for the US legend to support budding stars.

Track and Field legends shares words of wisdom for 16-year-old Gout Gout 

While Johnson took a dig on Australia’s track and field history and present-day scenario, he too could not leave the opportunity to shower words of praise for the young phenom. Turning heads globally after smashing records, the official X handle of World Athletics shared Gout’s achievement. Sharing the update, Michael Johnson weighed in. However, alongside praising, Johnson made sure to deliver a caution.

The track legend took to his social media and commented, “Great performances! Fun to think about his potential.” Alongside that, the four-time Olympic gold medalist added, “But even with such great potential, realizing it is a whole different thing. The greater the potential, the higher the risk. He’ll need a solid team around him to help him navigate the journey.” Moreover, it’s not just Johnson, but the Jamaican legend himself to whom Gout is now often compared chose to share a few wise words for the rising sprinter.

“He looks like young me.” When Usain Bolt says that about a sprinter, the world listens. As Bolt said the same about the Aussie star, Gout made sure to justify the praises with his continuous streak of record-breaking stances on the track. Gout’s stunning performance not only earned him the fastest-ever Australian 200m time but also surpassed Bolt’s own world age-16 best by a hair, 0.01 seconds, to be exact. The comparison is undeniable, and so is the praise.

Bolt too echoed a similar sentiment like that of Michael Johnson when she commented on Gout in the High Performance podcast. Reflecting on his early dominance, Bolt said, “I was really young and I was really talented, so I didn’t have to work as hard… as I was winning and winning.” Yet, he reminded Gout that “defeat will surely come,” emphasizing the importance of perseverance. Bolt made it clear that learning always comes from failure, and one should not be broken easily by setbacks.

With Bolt and Johnson offering both praise and invaluable wisdom, Gout finds himself on the radar of sprinting legends. While the spotlight now shines bright on Gout, the expectations too, rise high. But the wise words from the sprinting legends would surely guide him as he ascends to the top.