Australian sprint sensation Gout Gout has rewritten history, breaking Peter Norman’s iconic 200m national record from 1968 with a scorching 20.04-second performance at the All-Schools Championships in Brisbane.
The 16-year-old’s feat has the athletics world buzzing, including legendary sprinter Usain Bolt, who lauded Gout with a bold five-word declaration: “He looks like young me.” Bolt’s endorsement comes as Gout surpassed the Jamaican’s own 16-year-old 200m record of 20.13 seconds.
Norman’s family joined the accolades, with daughter Sandy celebrating Gout’s achievement on social media: “Dad would absolutely have loved this!” Norman’s nephew Matt echoed the sentiment, calling it a “proud moment” for their family.
Gout’s record-breaking run edged out Norman’s 20.06 seconds, a time that earned him silver at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics and immortalised him as a symbol of solidarity during the Black Power salute.
Commentators are heralding Gout as the brightest Australian sprint prospect in decades. Mitch Dyer exclaimed during the live call: “He is Gout of this world!”
The Ipswich Grammar student remains humble, saying he never expected to break the record this year. “It’s pretty crazy,” Gout admitted.
“Right now, I can’t process it, but it’s a great achievement.”
Meanwhile, Gout Gout’s parents have revealed that his real name is Guot, pronounced “Gwot,” and the current spelling is the result of a paperwork error during their escape from South Sudan.
Speaking to 7NEWS, his father Bona explained that the mistake occurred when the Sudanese government used an Arabic spelling on official documents as the family fled to Egypt.
Originally bound for Canada, the family ultimately settled in Brisbane, where Gout was born, due to Australia processing their paperwork first. Now, with the world buzzing about Gout’s record-breaking 200m run, his parents are keen to restore his original name, citing the unfortunate association with the medical condition gout.
Gout’s meteoric rise also includes a stunning 10.04-second 100m heat, which, though disqualified due to wind assistance, signals his extraordinary potential. Next month, Gout will train in the United States with Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles as he eyes the Tokyo World Championships in 2025, the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, and a home Olympics in Brisbane 2032.
For now, the world watches as Gout Gout’s name becomes synonymous with Australia’s sprinting future, and perhaps, a challenger to Bolt’s immortal 200m record of 19.19 seconds.
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