Gout Gout has underlined his status as one of Australia’s most exciting young athletes, bolting to a silver medal with a personal-best time in the 200m at the world junior championships.
Gout, aged just 16, finished strongly to log a time of 20.60 seconds in Lima at the U20 championships.
Gout bettered his own national U18 record of 20.69, storming home to beat every rival with the exception of 18-year-old South African Bayanda Walaza (20.54).
Usain Bolt’s gold-medal time in the 200m final at the corresponding event in 2002, when the Olympic icon was just shy of his 16th birthday, was 20.61.
Paris Olympics semi-finalist Torrie Lewis produced a personal-best time of 22.88 in the women’s 200m final, also collecting a silver medal.
Gout, one of seven children to parents Monica and Bona, was born in Brisbane after his parents migrated to Australia from South Sudan.
The Queenslander had made headlines around the world before this global championship debut, with footage of his searing pace and eye-catching stride at home meets going viral on social media.
Athletics Australia president Jane Flemming even likened the youngster’s speed and build to Bolt earlier this year, a comparison that Gout described as “pretty cool”.
The hype surrounding the teenage sprinter is set to grow substantially after Gout’s head-turning performance in his most pressure-laden test yet.
“I feel really relieved after a long two weeks of being in Lima,” Gout said.
“I’ve been training, grinding and waiting patiently for this moment to happen. Now that it’s done, I’m really glad and ready to rest up for the relay.”
Lewis’ performance was another highlight in a session in which Australia captured six medals at the world junior championships.
“I’m just so glad I came away with a PB. It’s all I wanted and there is nothing better I could have done,” Lewis said.
“To finally finish off my junior career; this will probably be my last race running as a junior specifically in an individual event. I’ve never been on a podium of this magnitude and this is the first time having a flag around myself.”
Fellow Paris Olympic semi-finalists Claudia Hollingsworth and Peyton Craig both won silver in the 800m, while Mason McGroder (men’s long jump) and Delta Amidzovski (women’s 100m hurdles) took home bronze.
