Eighteen-year-old Australian sprint prodigy Gout Gout produced a remarkable performance on Sunday, claiming the national 200m title in a time quicker than what Usain Bolt recorded at the same age.
Competing in Sydney, the teenager clocked an outstanding 19.67 seconds to set a new world under-20 record and register the fastest 200m time globally this year. The run also marked the first time Gout has legally broken the 20-second barrier, improving on his previous wind-assisted 19.84 recorded last season.
His latest achievement eclipses Bolt’s 19.93 seconds set in 2004, when the Jamaican icon was 17 and established what was then a world junior record. Bolt did not better that time during his teenage years before going on to dominate global sprinting and set multiple senior world records.
Gout had already signalled his immense potential earlier in his career, posting 20.06 seconds in 2024—the fastest time ever recorded by a 16-year-old—firmly announcing himself on the world stage.
American sprinter Erriyon Knighton previously held the recognised world U20 record of 19.69 seconds, set in June 2022, after an even faster 19.49 performance was not ratified. Gout’s breakthrough run now places him at the top of the junior rankings.
Fellow Australian Aidan Murphy also impressed, finishing second in 19.88 seconds, making it a historic race with two Australians breaking the 20-second mark.
Speaking after the race, Gout expressed his excitement at the milestone.
“This is what I’ve been waiting for,” he said. “We have such incredible athletes in Australia, and competing against them pushes us to our limits. Two Australians running sub-20—it’s amazing.
“There’s a big weight off my shoulders knowing I’ve done it legally. I now know I have the speed and the body to run times like this, and I’m ready for more.”
Despite his rapid rise, Gout has confirmed he will skip the upcoming Commonwealth Games, which begins on July 23, to focus instead on the World Under-20 Championships scheduled for early August in Oregon.
