Gout Gout, 19.67: Australian Teen Trailblazer Storms Past Usain Bolt's Mark
Bolt at 18 was a prodigy. Gout at 18 is producing numbers that stack up; and, in this case, edge ahead.
On a cool, windy afternoon in Sydney, the 18-year-old tore through the 200 metres in 19.67 seconds. It was a run that won him the national title, as he smashed the world under-20 record, placing him ahead of Usain Bolt at the same age. Bolt ran 19.93 at 18. Gout has made it quicker. In achieving the feat, Gout became the first Australian to break the 20-second barrier legally. He was pushed by Aidan Murphy who pushed hard off the bend, even led midway, and still clocked 19.88, a time that wins most races anywhere in the world. But Gout's closing speed was decisive. Two Australians blazed to an under 20 seconds feat in the race at the Australian Athletics Championships.
"This is what I've been waiting for," Gout said. "We push each other... two Australians sub-20 - that's amazing." He added," There's a big weight off my shoulders knowing I ran it legally. I have the speed... and I'm ready for more"
For a while now he has been compared to the legendary Usain Bolt.
His long strides, upright running, devastating back-end speed has got him the label, "the next Bolt."
Bolt at 18 was a prodigy. Gout at 18 is producing numbers that stack up; and, in this case, edge ahead. There's a symmetry too: Bolt entered the 2008 Olympics with a 19.75 sec personal best. Gout has just gone past at the same age.
What followed was an epic career. Bolt's legacy was built on Olympic gold, world records, sustained dominance. For Gout, the road remains long.
Gout's rise isn't an overnight spike.
He was born in Ipswich, Queensland, in 2007, of South Sudanese parents, Bona and Monica, who fled conflict, moved through Egypt, and eventually settled in Australia in the mid-2000s. He was introduced to athletics early.
The teen from Queensland became a cult figure after exploding on to the global athletics scene less than two years ago, breaking Peter Norman's 56-year-old 200m national record in late 2024. Gout also made global headlines in 2025 with a world championships debut and 200m semi-final appearance in Japan.
But he has opted to skip the Commonwealth Games later this year, instead targeting the World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene.
"I'm still only 18... I can definitely go faster," he said. "It's about building, getting that consistent sub-20."
Gout Gout many not have taken over the sport yet, but with 19.67 on the board he has just given everyone a sneak peak into the future of world athletics. And placed himself as a firm favourite for 100-m and 200-m titles at LA2028.