Imagine this, you’re 16 years old, you step onto the track, and in less than 21 seconds, you’ve not only rewritten history but also sparked comparisons to the greatest sprinter of all time. That’s exactly what Gout Gout pulled off last weekend at the Australian Schools Championships. The teenage phenom blazed through the 200 meters in 20.04 seconds, breaking a national record held since 1968 by Olympian Peter Norman. Oh, and a fun fact—Usain Bolt at 16? He clocked 20.13. Yep, Gout’s time just nudged Bolt out of the top two fastest 16-year-olds ever.

But here’s the thing, while the world can’t stop talking about how much Gout’s long strides and effortless speed mirror Bolt’s, the young sprinter isn’t losing sleep over the comparisons. “I do see it [the similarity to Bolt,” he admitted. “My knee height is pretty high and just the amount of tallness I get when I’m running…. I do sometimes look like him, but obviously I’m making a name for myself, and I think I’ve done that pretty well..” Confident but grounded, just how you’d want a rising star to be. At the same time, a former track and field athlete boldly believes Gout has “more” than Bolt ever did!

Gout Gout could be Australia’s greatest athlete ever

On December 9th, former sprinter and Sunrise co-host Matt ‘Shirvo’ Shirvington shared his thoughts on the young talent Gout in a YouTube video titled “Shirvo’s Big Praise for Gout Gout | Sunrise.” Shirvington, who was the third-fastest Australian sprinter of all time and held the national 100m title for several years, couldn’t hide his excitement about Gout’s impressive achievements. He noted that Gout achieved this at the tender age of sixteen which is outstanding. “The fact that he has come out as a 16-year-old he’s not 17 until the 29th of December is a phenomenal thing,” Shirvo said.

But it was Shirvo’s prediction about Gout’s future that was the most daring. He thinks this 16-year-old athlete is capable of becoming Australia’s best athlete of all time and even going past the legend Usain Bolt of what he can do. “He will be the greatest athlete we have ever produced in this country. Saying that hands down,” Shirvo boldly declared. and I honestly believe a lot of people are comparing him to the G.O.A.T., Gout to the G.O.A.T, who is Usain Bolt, of course. I think he’s got more. I think he’s got more to produce the goods.”Given the fact that Gout has displayed such talent at a young age, Shirvo seems to be overjoyed. Nevertheless, Bolt has been wowed by the young sprinter, as he has also earned the admiration of the legendary Jamaican sprinter.

Is Gout the next Usain Bolt? Even Bolt thinks so!

Even the legendary Usain Bolt has said his word about Gout. The eight-time Olympic champion replied to Gout’s performance at the Australian All Schools Championships where the 16-year-old broke all existing records and achieved the World Championships qualifying time of 20.16 seconds. Bolt didn’t hold back his admiration, saying, “He looks like young me” in response to a viral Instagram post by @jumpers.world which later on was shared by Mitch Dyer on X.

Still, Gout plays down the comparisons and is clear that he wants to make a name for himself. However, he admits it’s quite exciting to be mentioned alongside the legendary Jamaican sprinter. Bolt, in turn, has taken it upon himself to offer guidance to the young athlete, beginning the process of mentoring him. Gout’s reaction to Usain Bolt’s acknowledgment—a simple fire emoji—speaks volumes about his excitement. And let’s not forget, Gout has already broken one of Bolt’s records, making the comparisons even more compelling!

Several months ago, Gout Gout achieved an extraordinary feat by surpassing one of Usain Bolt’s records: the 200m mark set by Bolt in 2002 during the Under-20 World Championships. Gout came tantalizingly close to shattering the record, clocking an impressive 20.60 seconds—just 0.01 seconds shy of breaking it. This is especially significant, as the record had stood unchallenged for 22 years. With a record-breaking debut and the endorsement of sprinting royalty, it’s safe to say that Gout is already envisioning his reign on the track. And honestly? He’s off to a blazing start.