Gout Gout dazzles again on latest European 200m outing
Guesting in an invitation 200 metres at the prestigious Diamond League meeting at the Stade Louis II in the Principality during his school holidays on Friday, the teenage Australian phenomenon raced away to another striking win in 20.10 seconds into a headwind.
The 17-year-old Queenslander, who had enjoyed a remarkable European debut when he clocked an Australian record 20.02 sec in the Czech town of Ostrava just over two weeks ago, may have challenged the 20sec barrier again if not disadvantaged by the 1.9m/sec wind in his face.
But he was delighted to maintain his European unbeaten record as he sped away off the bend to leave South African Naeem Jack (20.42) and Botswana's Busang Collen Kebinatshipi (20.28sec) trailing in his wake.
"My top-end speed is my secret, so I've just got to focus on the first 100, first 50, and once I get out of that bend, I know I can run people down," Gout beamed afterwards.
"So stay relaxed, stay focused, and just power through."
The youngster will now head back to school in Queensland after his enjoyable first experience of top European meetings in good spirits, with his first trip to a senior world championships in Japan in September very much still on track.
"I am pretty satisfied, I just got told that it was into a headwind. I ran pretty decent so I am happy with that," he shrugged.
"I haven't competed much this season since I have to go to school, I will be back on Monday. During the holidays is the time to compete for me."
This was Gout's first taste of the atmosphere at a big Diamond League meeting, one of the most high-profile on the circuit, but he had no intention of making his debut in the League 200m race, which was won by Olympic 100m chapion Noah Lyles in a sizzling 19.88, also into a slightly less strong 0.8m/sec headwind.
"I didn't compete in the main race because I just want slowly to get used to it, there is no point putting me in big races when I am running at the World Championships. The goal now is to go out there and have a little bit of fun," explained the youngster.
Gout's run was just one of another series of impressive outings by Australian athletes as Jess Hull and Peter Bol both shattered national records.
Twelve months to the day since breaking the 2000m world record at the same meeting, Olympic metric mile silver medallist Hull finished third in the 1000m behind Kenyan Nelly Chepchirchir (2min 29.77sec) in 2:30.96, beating the previous national mark by two seconds.
In one of the fastest 800m races in Diamond League history, Bol was fourth in 1:42.55, improving his own Australian record by more than a second, as Kenyan Emmanuel Wanyonyi clocked a world-leading time of 1:41.44 and the top five, remarkably, all went under 1:43.
"I'm resilient, I've always been. I've overcome a lot over the last few years, they were pretty bad for me, but I'm back and I'm better. An Australian record? I can't be any happier."
Pole vaulter Kurtis Marschall cleared 5.92m to claim third place as world record holder Mondo Duplantis set a meet record of 6.05m.
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