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Is Gout Gout the next Usain Bolt, or will he carve his own unique legacy in track?

Gout Gout, a 16-year-old sprinter from Brisbane, went viral with his impressive 100m performance at the Queensland Athletics Championships, clocking a remarkable 10.29 seconds. Although you might not know his name, that viral clip has sparked comparisons to eight-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt. For Gout, Usain Bolt’s legacy inspires rather than intimidates. Born two years after his South Sudanese parents moved to Australia, Gout is now set to forge his own path as he chases his Olympic dream for Brisbane 2032.

As Australia’s strongest team heads to the World Athletics U20 Championships in Lima, Peru, starting Tuesday, Gout Gout and 66 other rising stars are focused on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Despite the buzz, Gout remains unfazed. According to recent news on TheGuardian.com from August 26, 2024, Gout is focused on making his own mark in the sport. “Usain Bolt is arguably the greatest athlete of all time, and just being compared to him is a great feeling,” Gout said. “But I’m Gout Gout, and I’m trying to make a name for myself.”

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After breaking the under-18s 200m record by 0.03 seconds, Gout caught the attention of Australian Olympian Jane Flemming. Speaking on 2GB’s Wide World of Sports Radio, she exclaimed, “There’s a 16-year-old sprinter in Queensland called Gout Gout. If I’ve ever seen anyone run like Usain Bolt and be built like him, it’s him.” Flemming enthusiastically continued, “He’s broken our national under-18 record, and he’s only 16. Have a Google of this guy and watch him run—he’s built like Bolt and runs like him.” She added, “He’s running not dissimilar times to what Bolt did at the same age.” Gout’s time of 20.87 seconds in the 200m at the Australian junior titles surpassed the previous national record held by Darren Clark, Paul Greene, and Zane Branco.

Gout Gout’s recent results, past achievements, and future potential

Gout Gout has been making headlines with his impressive performances on the track. Gout Gout, born in 2007 to South Sudanese parents who had emigrated to Australia, is making a mark in sprinting. At just 14, he set the Australian under-16 records for the 100m and 200m, running 10.57 seconds in the 100m. His promise as a sprinter became evident early. At 15, he won the men’s under-18 200m final at the 2023 Australian Junior Athletics Championships and set a national under-20 record.

In March 2024, Gout ran an impressive 10.29 seconds in the 100m, showcasing his incredible acceleration in the final 50m. This performance earned him a spot on the Australian team for the 2024 World Athletics U20 Championships in Lima. Even though this record-breaking run happened months ago, the footage recently went viral on X (formerly Twitter). One user captured the widespread amazement, posting: “Read about a 16-year-old Sudanese kid in Australia who ran 100m in 10.2 seconds this year. Found the footage—freakin’ ridiculous. His name is Gout Gout, remember it. No way this kid isn’t going to be an Olympian one day.”

To put his time into perspective, if Gout had run 10.29 seconds at the Paris 2024 Olympics, he would have advanced from the preliminary to the first round of the men’s 100m event. Gout holds the Australian under-16 national records for 100m and 200m, with personal bests set in both events this year. Gout will be 20 years old when the Los Angeles Olympics occur in 2028 and 24 when the Brisbane Olympics are held in 2032. While the promising teenager has a long road ahead, the future certainly looks bright. What do you think about Gout’s potential? Let us know in the comments box below!