Ever since Usain Bolt set the fastest 100m and 200m times in history, many have attempted to break. Talented champions such as Christian Coleman and then Noah Lyles have all tried to become the next Bolt in their attempt to beat the dual records. Today, 16-year-old Australian sprint prodigy Gout Gout thrust himself into that position with historic achievements at the 2024 Australian All Schools Athletes Championships.

The school student started 2024 by setting a then-new 200m PR of 20.69 seconds in January. However, the improvements he has made through the year have been substantial, to say the least. And it’s these improvements that helped the sprinter achieve a mind-bending 10.04-second 100-meter sprint in the heats. Shortly after the clip aired, the track and field community took notice.

“SORRY WHAT?! 10.04? Teenage sensation Gout Gout gets the crowd roaring with a spectacular though windy 10.04 (+3.4) performance in his U18 100m Heat – the fourth-fastest time in all conditions by an Australian in history. Stay tuned for the final…” wrote the official Athletics Australia handle on X. This time was a huge improvement from his 100m PR of 10.29 seconds.

Needless to say, the 16-year-old’s epic performance only built the anticipation for the finals and earned him Usain Bolt comparisons. “Can’t wait to see what Gout-Gout does in the final. So beautiful to watch,” commented one X-user. Although a +3.4m/sec wind assistance made the run illegal, Gout didn’t disappoint the fans in the finals.

However, despite this technical rule, others could not help but compare him with Usain Bolt. “Exactly how Usain Bolt used to run. Took a while to wind up those long giraffe legs, then bang!” commented a track and field enthusiast. Indeed, Gout Gout’s slower start, similar stride, and ability to pull away after the 50-meter mark reminded fans of the Olympic legend.

However, the sprinter put an end to the anticipation of the fans by running a blistering 10.17 seconds during the All School Championships 100m final in Brisbane. Though far slower than his time in the heat, the teenage prodigy barely had any assistance, with only a +0.9 m/sec win on his back. The historic performance saw the U18 sprinter set a new national record and improve his PR, dispelling any doubts.

How Gout Gout’s shut the door on the speculators

The teenage prodigy blew fans’ minds with the qualifying run. Some even went beyond the Usain Bolt comparison, making more concrete predictions. “2028 Olympic gold medalist if he keeps this up,” commented a netizen. This wouldn’t be too hard to believe, as the 16-year-old still has four years to hone his craft.

However, there were a handful who thought the +3.4 m/sec wind was a little too much of an assistance. “Huge run, but +3.4 is like having a 10-meter head star,” commented another track enthusiast. However, Gout Gout not only shut down the doubters but made the LA 28 prediction sound realistic. That’s because the athlete’s improvement rate has been nothing short of extraordinary.

In March 2024, Gout hit a new PR of 10.29 seconds in the U18 category of the Queensland Athletics Championships. Now, barely eight months removed from that performance, the 16-year-old has already improved his PR by 10 seconds. At this rate of improvement, Gout may be running sub-10-second spirits by the end of 2025. However, others noticed another interesting phenomenon.

“Thought he wasn’t going to lift off at the 70-meter mark. Incredible,” commented one fan, and they may not have been wrong. Besides his national record-breaking 100m run, the Australian also excels in the 200m sprint. In fact, the youth athlete has already reached Usain Bolt’s league in the 200m event. In November, Gout broke etched his name in the record book across 200 m.

The sprinter ran a 20.29-second sprint, putting him right behind Erriyon Knighton (19.84sec), Usain Bolt (20.13sec), and Puripol Boonson (20.19sec), in the fastest U18 200m runners of all time. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Gout continue accelerating beyond the 100-meter mark. Another fan showcased just how stunned Gout left the track and field community with his performances.

“OMG. What are we witnessing? And he’s not yet 18. What in the world have Australia got, in this kid?” asked one netizen. Looking at the Gout’s improvements, there is little doubt that Australians may just have the next Usain Bolt in their hands. However, just to put things further into perspective, the new Australian U18 record belonging to Gout is nearly 10 seconds faster than the old one.

Additionally, the prodigy smashed Sebastian Sultana’s 2022 record of 10.27 seconds. Yet, do you believe Gout Gout can surpass Usain Bolt? Tell us in the comments.