If you’re going to be compared to the legendary Usain Bolt, you’d better do something truly extraordinary to live up to that title. And that’s exactly what 16-year-old Australian sprinter Gout Gout has done. At last year’s Brisbane meet, Gout seemed more like a flying machine as he scorched the track, clocking 20.04 seconds in the 200m—a feat that broke Bolt’s record set at the same age. For Gout, however, breaking that record wasn’t the pinnacle; it was just the beginning. Fast forward to a few days ago, and the teenage sensation was back at the All-School Championships, where he once again ran the 200m in an incredible 20.04 seconds.

But hold up—there’s more. This time, Gout didn’t just break records; he rewrote them, shattering a 56-year-old national record set by Peter Norman at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. However, not everyone is vibing with the comparisons to Bolt. While the world is buzzing about Gout’s jaw-dropping times, some athletes in the NCAA have expressed frustration over the constant Usain Bolt comparisons.

Gout gets compared to Usain Bolt?

On December 9, Erin Brown, an NCAA athlete, had a pretty fiery reply to a comment on a video on X of Gout Gout’s insane race where someone was all hyped up saying, “Oooh, Usain, the GOAT, beware! This young man is coming for your records! It’s actually great to see.” Erin wasn’t having any of it and clapped back.

Brown mentioned, “Track fans never learn the lesson. Usain Bolt is Usain.. and no one will ever be him. We see high school phenoms every year and stats prove less than 5% will grow up and have success as a senior athlete… go ask Alan Webb, Obea Moore, Aldrich Bailey, Candace Hill, Tyrese Cooper…” and a few more names. Oof, talk about dropping the truth bomb! Erin’s letting everyone know that while Gout’s crazy fast, comparing him to Bolt this early is a bit premature.

To be quite frank, Erin Brown has a point. Usain Bolt is in a league of his own. The man has consistently set records year after year, boasting 8 Olympic gold medals, a 100m world record of 9.58 seconds, a 200m world record of 19.19 seconds, and a 4x100m relay record of 36.84 seconds. That’s no small feat, and comparing anyone to him is undeniably bold. But Erin isn’t alone in questioning the comparison between Gout and Bolt. A new voice in the track world has joined the chorus, arguing that the hype surrounding Gout might be a bit excessive.

Is Gout the next Bolt?

Oh yeah, you heard that right! Someone else has also weighed in on the whole Usain Bolt comparison! And honestly, drawing comparisons to the legendary Bolt is no small feat, especially when you’re only 16 years old. The spotlight has come at Gout Gout fast and furious, and with that fame skyrocketing, the young sprinter needs some guidance to keep his head straight. Lucky for him, he’s got James Templeton, his seasoned manager, in his corner, ready to help him navigate all the noise that comes with being the next big thing.

Templeton sat down with ABC News and dropped some serious wisdom on how to keep Gout grounded while all eyes are on him. He stressed that while the comparisons to Bolt are flattering, they aren’t doing Gout any favors in the long run. “I’ve avoided using the ‘UB’ (Usain Bolt) comparison. I think that’s unfair to a young athlete,” Templeton explained. He also added, “For 18 months I’ve basically said a blanket ‘no’ to every media outlet in Australia that has asked. We just want to allow him to be a normal kid at school. We don’t want him to have any distractions.”