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Independent Singapore
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Independent Singapore
'Another national record!' — Gout Gout sets new Australian 200m record in Ostrava
Photo: Australian teenage sprinter Gout Gout made history in his first-ever senior international competition at the Ostrava Golden Spike as he set a new Australian national record of 20.02 seconds in the 200 metres. The young athlete also improved his previous record by two-hundredths of a second. At the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meet in the Czech Republic, the 17-year-old athlete finished 0.17 seconds ahead of Reynier Mena from Cuba. Briton Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake was third with a final time of 20.60 seconds. Gout has had the chance to compete internationally in under-20 and under-18 competitions in the past seasons, but the Ostrava meet was his debut senior race outside Australia. For the record, this was the venue where Bolt was scheduled to make his European debut as a 17-year-old in 2004. However, a hamstring injury stopped him from competing. After his impressive win, Gout admitted: 'I've felt stronger in training these last couple of months and I've felt good since I got to Europe last Thursday.' He added: 'I knew Mena would come hard at me the first 100, but I was confident I'd be close enough to come home strongly in the second part of the race, which is, of course, my stronger part… I felt calm but strong as I came off the turn and was confident I'd be strong enough to get the win. Another national record; pretty happy with that. It's not a bad first up in Europe.' Because of his exceptional performances in the field, Gout Gout has been included in the Australian team at the World Championships in Tokyo this coming September. On social media, World Athletics shared Gout's achievement, saying: 'Dream European debut ✨… Australia's @ powers to 20.02 in the men's 200m at @zlatatretra 😎 First senior race abroad ✅. First race ever in Europe ✅. First senior win abroad ✅. Breaks area record ✅.' Netizens were quick to congratulate the rising sprinter, leaving a flood of encouraging comments under the video. Many praised his impressive performance and potential, with one remarking, 'New star was born 🔥🔥 keep going 💪.' Another wrote, 'Congrats, Gout! Smashing the Aussie record in your first senior race in Europe is huge. I'm proud to be part of your journey and can't wait for what's next. Keep smashing it!' Others added, 'This kid is goin' places, he will go far,' and 'The kid got IT🔥.' One fan even joked, 'How did the camera capture him 🤔 faster than sight 🔥🔥🔥🔥.' Others saw Gout Gout's resemblance to legend Usain Bolt. 'His form looks like Bolt's,' one observed, while another declared, 'The future Bolt🔥.'
CNN
25-06-2025
- Sport
- CNN
Teenage sprint sensation Gout Gout breaks his own 200m Australian record in first race abroad
Teenage sprinting sensation Gout Gout continued his record-breaking streak on Tuesday when he surpassed his own 200m Australian national mark. The 17-year-old finished first with a time of 20.02 seconds – shaving two hundredths of a second off the previous record he broke in December last year – at the Golden Spike meeting in Ostrava, Czech Republic. Gout entered the straight slightly behind Cuba's Reynier Mena but produced a remarkable burst as the pair approached the finish line to get himself ahead. In what was Gout's first senior race abroad, he finished 0.17 seconds ahead of Mena while Great Britain's Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake (20.60) came in third. 'I feel good. New personal best, new national record in my first European race,' Gout told reporters afterwards, per Reuters. 'I don't feel any pressure. Because as soon as I step out on that track, it's just me by myself and what I've got to do, my favorite thing, and that's to run. 'So, I just go out there and run and nothing stops me from doing that … Get some more races in me and (the 20-second barrier) will drop for sure.' Gout has already broken the 200m 20-second barrier mark this year, winning the title at the Australian Athletics Championships in Perth in 19.84 seconds in April, only for the time to be revoked because of an illegal wind reading of 2.2m per second. In breaking Australia's 200m record last year, Gout smashed Pete Norman's nearly six-decade-old mark which had been the country's oldest remaining record. He's also shown his potential in the 100m too, breaking the 10-second barrier twice in one day in April, only for those times to also be etched out because of a tailwind. Gout's tall stature, languid running style and raw speed have drawn comparisons with legendary sprinter Usain Bolt and he is considered one of the fastest teenagers in the world. His time of 20.02 seconds is the 11th fastest 200m time this season by any athlete. Gout's speed over the last 12 months has earned him a spot on Australia's team for the World Championships in Tokyo in September. It could set up a fascinating clash with reigning 200m world champion Noah Lyles and Botswana's Olympic gold medalist Letsile Tebogo.
Irish Independent
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
‘I don't feel any pressure' – Sprint sensation Gout Gout (17) sets new target after first race in Europe
Australian teenage sprinter Gout Gout crushed the 200 metres field in his first senior race abroad, bettering his own national record by two hundredths of a second to finish in 20.02 seconds at the Ostrava Golden Spike. The 17-year-old ran a textbook race in his European debut at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold event in the Czech Republic, crossing the line 0.17 seconds ahead of Cuban Reynier Mena, while Briton Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake (20.60) was third. "I feel good. New personal best, new national record in my first European race," the Queensland schoolboy told reporters. "I don't feel any pressure. Because as soon as I step out on that track, it's just me by myself and what I've got to do my favourite thing, and that's to run. "So, I just go out there and run and nothing stops me from doing that ... Get some more races in me and [the 20-second barrier] will drop for sure." Gout has drawn comparisons to Jamaican great Usain Bolt and he made headlines in December when he broke Peter Norman's national record that had stood for 56 years in 20.04. He ran a 19.84-second 200 and 9.99 seconds in the 100m at the Australian national championships in Perth in April but a strong tailwind rendered both illegal. His performances were strong enough, however, to earn him a spot on Australia's team for the World Championships in Tokyo in September.
Al Jazeera
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Al Jazeera
Gout Gout breaks own 200m record; beats Bolt's Golden Spike debut time
Australian teenage sprinter Gout Gout has crushed the 200-metre field in his first senior race abroad, bettering his own national record by two hundredths of a second to finish in 20.02 seconds at the Ostrava Golden Spike. The 17-year-old high school student ran a textbook race in his European debut at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold event in the Czech Republic on Tuesday, crossing the line 0.17 seconds ahead of Cuban Reynier Mena, while Briton Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake (20.60) was third. 'I feel good. New personal best, new national record in my first European race,' the boy from Queensland told reporters. Gout is being compared with Usain Bolt as he beat the Jamaican icon's time at Ostrava. Bolt finished his first 200m race at the event in 20.28 in 2006, but went on to win three Olympic 200-metre golds and set a new world record of 19.19 seconds. 'I don't feel any pressure. Because as soon as I step out on that track, it's just me by myself and what I've got to do – my favourite thing, and that's to run,' Gout said of the expectations. 'So, I just go out there and run and nothing stops me from doing that … Get some more races in me and [the 20-second barrier] will drop for sure.' Gout made headlines in December when he broke Peter Norman's national record that had stood for 56 years at 20.04. He ran a 19.84-second 200 and 9.99 seconds in the 100m at the Australian national championships in Perth in April but a strong tailwind rendered both illegal. Even without those two sub-20 times, he's still in the top seven all-time for Under-20s, a list that includes Bolt. Gout was born in Ipswich, near Brisbane, in Queensland state. His parents are South Sudanese immigrants who moved to Australia in 2005. His performances were strong enough, however, to earn him a spot on Australia's team for the World Championships in Tokyo in September.
Straits Times
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Australian teen sensation Gout betters his own 200m national record
OSTRAVA, Czech Republic - Australian teenage sprinter Gout Gout crushed the 200 metres field in his first senior race abroad on Tuesday, bettering his own national record by two hundredths of a second to finish in 20.02 seconds at the Ostrava Golden Spike. The 17-year-old ran a textbook race in his European debut at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold event in the Czech Republic, crossing the line 0.17 seconds ahead of Cuban Reynier Mena, while Briton Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake (20.60) was third. "I feel good. New personal best, new national record in my first European race," the Queensland schoolboy told reporters. "I don't feel any pressure. Because as soon as I step out on that track, it's just me by myself and what I've got to do — my favourite thing, and that's to run. "So, I just go out there and run and nothing stops me from doing that ... Get some more races in me and (the 20-second barrier) will drop for sure." Gout has drawn comparisons to Jamaican great Usain Bolt and he made headlines in December when he broke Peter Norman's national record that had stood for 56 years in 20.04. He ran a 19.84-second 200 and 9.99 seconds in the 100m at the Australian national championships in Perth in April but a strong tailwind rendered both illegal. His performances were strong enough, however, to earn him a spot on Australia's team for the World Championships in Tokyo in September. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
