Gout Gout's coach doesn't mince her words as she tells 17-year-old harsh truth
Gout Gout has been given a stark warning by his coach, Di Sheppard, that his life won't be like that of an average 17-year-old, with socialising off the cards for the time being.
The teenage sprinting sensation is making waves in the sprinting world, having already won a national championship and seemingly on the fast track to international fame in athletics. But it's not all about speed on the track; there's a lot of sacrifice involved too, and coach Sheppard is determined to prepare Gout for a future filled with victories.
Speaking to The Guardian, she praised the young athlete's "emotional intelligence" but stressed that his "massive ability" means he'll have to let go of typical teenage experiences.
Sheppard said: "I've been telling him for a couple of years that when we get to a set point, your social life will be pretty much non-existent, in the sense you just can't go out where you want.
"He's at that point pretty much now, which is kind of tough when you think he's still at school."
Sheppard also emphasised the importance of Gout keeping his eyes on the prize, with the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane as his ultimate target – a stage where he dreams of sweeping the medals and shattering records.
She added: "Things will plateau, that's a natural part. It has to come to a, 'Bang, OK, now we've got to find our next adaption phase to go up'.
"For us to go to the top – we're still a long way from there – and because we know that's our end goal, we don't get too wrapped up into the good things that come. They're stepping stones, and that's how I've tried to teach Gout. There's no clear path up."
Gout has his sights set on Olympic glory and is also on track to challenge more of Usain Bolt's legendary sprint records.
Gout has already taken Bolt's record for the fastest 200 metres by a 16-year-old, clocking an astonishing 20.04 seconds at the Australian All Schools Championships in 2024.
This feat not only surpassed Bolt's 2003 time of 20.13 seconds but also shattered Peter Norman's Oceanian record of 20.06 seconds, which had been unchallenged since 1968.
But Gout isn't stopping there; he is aiming for Bolt's 100m record next. The athlete already shown promise with two sub-10-second runs at the Australian Athletics Championships earlier this year - although they were wind-assisted, meaning they don't officially count.
Bolt's 100m world record of 9.58 seconds was set at the age of 22 years old - and Gout is not far behind with an unofficial 9.99 seconds right now. The Australian's performances at a much younger age hint at the potential for him to topple the Jamaican sprint king's record in the not-too-distant future.
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