Is there a track and field athlete out there who doesn’t want to be like Usain Bolt? Honestly, probably not. The guy didn’t just dominate the track, he turned himself into a global icon. Brands lined up to sponsor him, and even now, years after his retirement in 2017, he’s still cashing in on those deals. And why wouldn’t they? His speed is still untouchable. 9.58 seconds for the 100m and 19.19 seconds for the 200m? Those records are insane. Athletes like Noah Lyles, Christian Coleman, and more have given it their best shot, but nope, Bolt’s still the king. So, the big question is: could the “next Usain Bolt” finally break them? Especially since this 16-year-old boy already managed to take down one of his records? Guess who is it?

Yep, it’s Gout Gout! This Aussie prodigy just shattered Usain Bolt’s record for the fastest 200m by a 16-year-old. He sprinted to the finish line through the 100-meter race in just 20.04 seconds at the Australian All Schools Championships. For instance, do you know that even Bolt’s best was 20.13 shard at the Pan American Junior Championships back in 2003? And guess what? Adidas isn’t slacking on this—they’re already moving quickly to sign the “next Usain Bolt” before someone else can. Can you blame them? Of course not!

Adidas just locked down a teen prodigy for $6 Million

Recently an Australian teenage sprinter Gout Gout secured a monumental deal with Adidas, the contract was for a multi-year span over which the young athlete would expect to earn more than $6 million (around Kshs 771,418,434). This contract for the next Olympics in Brisbane is better than the offers from Nike and Puma that anticipate Gout’s skills. And he deserved all the hype, especially after he ran a new Australian under 200m record at 20.04 secs and did another great run in a 10.04 100m wind-legal assist. It’s no wonder Adidas is so keen on him – he is running like Usain Bolt at the age of sixteen!

Gout’s deal places him as the fifth-highest-paid athlete on Adidas’ roster, which is pretty impressive for someone still so young. Of course, Lionel Messi is in first place with $27 million a year from a lifetime contract, but in comparison with other super popular athletes, Gout is just beginning. Take Noah Lyles, for instance. Lyles, a three-time world champion and Olympic gold medalist, signed with Adidas back when he was 19, and though he’s made a huge impact on track and field, he’s still not in Adidas’ top 10 earners.

This whole thing also reminds us of Erriyon Knighton who joined Adidas at again sixteen after success at the AAU Junior Olympic Games. Not even with all these successes has he managed to get into the top best either. That is how ‘sponsorship wars’ work, and how Adidas is willing to put big money on relatively unknown talents like Gout who may well become the next big thing in track and field. But then there’s Puma, who signed Usain Bolt when he was only 16 years old, a move that ended up being incredibly profitable for the brand, and now it seems Gout Gout can be for Adidas.

Puma took a huge risk on Usain Bolt at 16 and it paid off big

Usain Bolt and Puma’s partnership goes way back to 2003 when he was just 16 years old.  And this is when Puma took him on and they have been producing together till now. Bolt has worn a Puma suit and shoes throughout his career, and due to this close drive, the two have cemented a good working relationship. Bolt has extended his deal with Puma several times, not only signing a significant deal with the company in 2010-2013. His renewal in the year 2010 was massive, one of the biggest sponsorships for him.

The signing of Bolt at such a tender age became a decisive turning point for Puma of course. Many financial problems as sales decline and competition with Nike and Adidas were kept away by Bolt. Thanks to his victories and performances that brought him the title of the world record holder apart from his personality and attitude made him the perfect fit for Puma. In terms of money, Bolt received about, $10 million per year in Puma deals throughout his competitive years. After retiring, he continued to earn probably $4 million a year as a Puma ambassador.  Endorsements contributed to a large share of his approximate annual revenue of US $20 million with Puma as his consistent sponsor.

And the best part? Usain Bolt’s deal with Puma is for a lifetime. Signing him when he was just a teenager was a huge win for Puma—they’ve been reaping the rewards for years! Looking ahead, it’s clear that Gout Gout could also stand to earn even more, following in Bolt’s footsteps with the right partnership.