Gout, a 17-year-old Australian Sudanese sprinter, has been in the news lately. That didn’t stop him from breaking his own national record in the 200 meters at the big Ostrava Golden Spike meeting in the Czech Republic. The 17-year-old high school student from Ipswich, Queensland, won the race in a stunning 20.02 seconds. He did break his own record this time — by two hundredths of a second! After his performance, you knew you just witnessed an amazing talent. As a result, he earned his spot on Australia’s team for the World Championships, set to take place in Tokyo this September.
Gout was the daughter of South Sudanese immigrants who settled in Australia in 2005. His athletic story is an incredible testament to personal willpower and strong indigenous culture. He won on his European debut at the 64th Golden Spike athletics meeting. This extraordinary performance cemented his status as one of Australia’s most promising emerging stars in the sport of athletics.
In April, Gout Gout displayed impressive speed at the Australian national championships held in Perth, where he clocked a time of 19.84 seconds in the 200m and 9.99 seconds in the 100m. On both occasions, that time was made illegal by a strong tailwind juicing the run beyond allowable limits. This most recent feat at Ostrava shows that he has the talent to compete on the international stage.
Gout crossed the line 0.17 seconds ahead of Reynier Mena of Cuba, solidifying his place as a top contender in the sprinting world. After his race, he expressed satisfaction with his performance, stating, “I feel good. New personal best, new national record in my first European race.”
He emphasized his love for running and downplayed the pressures associated with competition. “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 is hopeful for more races. He believes that continued competition will only enhance his capabilities, saying, “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.”
