‘That is history’: Gout Gout runs 10.04, shatters Australian under-18s record

The legend of teenage sensation Gout Gout is continuing to grow after the prodigy once again rewrote the record books.

Gout Gout has done it again!

The 16-year-old Australian sprinting prodigy has written himself into both the record books and athletics folklore in a stunning day at the Australian All Schools Athletics Championship.

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Gout kicked off the day, running the fourth fastest under-18s 100m time in history in a blistering time of 10.04.

Not only that, it was the fifth fastest time by an Australian in history in any conditions.

But the result won’t go into the record books after he ran with an illegal tailwind of 3.4m/s.

For the record to count, the tailwind can be no more than 2m/s.

Gout, who came into the race with a PB of 10.29 — just 0.02 behind the Oceania under-18s record held by current Australian champion Sebastian Sultana — showed he is the real deal with the incredible time that shows just how much of a handful he’ll be for the sprinting world for years to come.

“10.04, how do you do Gout Gout. That is absolutely unbelievable,” Mitch Dyer said, calling the race. “Ladies and gentlemen, that is history.”

Watch the run in the video player above.

But just to make sure his name would go down in history, Gout ran a second incredible time of the day in the final to take Australian and Oceania records in 10.17 with a 0.9m/s tailwind.

The time is officially equal 17th fastest in history in the Oceania region, and sixth fastest of all-time by an under-18 in the world.

The fastest official under-18 time is 10.06 held by both Thailand’s Puripol Boonson (1.4m/s wind) and American Christian Miller (2.0m/s wind). Only Jamaica’s Gary Card, who went 10.07 (0.0m/s) earlier this year, and Americans Anthony Schwarz (10.15, 2.0m/s) and Erriyon Knighton (10.16, -0.3) have gone faster.

For the record in his unofficial time of 10.04, the only under-18s who have run faster than Gout are the US’ Knighton (9.99 with a 2.7m/s wind), American Jelani Watkins (10.02 with no wind information) and Boonson (10.02 with a 2.4m/s wind).

The previous fastest under-18 time in the Oceania region regardless of wind was Australian Jack Hale, who went 10.13 with a 3.4m/s wind assistance in 2014.

Gout’s unofficial time has only been bettered by Patrick Johnson (9.88, 3.6m/s wind), Rohan Browning (9.96, 3.3m/s), Tim Jackson (10.00, 4.3m/s) and Matt Shirvington (10.03, -0.1m/s).

The official fastest Oceania times are Johnson’s 9.93 (1.8m/s) in 2003, followed by Browning’s 10.01 (0.8m/s) and Shirvington’s 10.03.

Gout Gout doesn’t run — he floats. Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

And he’s officially in the record books once again. Picture David Clark

Speaking after the result, Gout said he was hunting Sultana’s national under-18 record.

“I’ve been chasing this national record for a while now! In the heat, I thought I got it but it was a crazy tailwind, so I just did the same thing and got the job done,” Gout said.

“In January I’m going overseas to train with Noah Lyles and his coach Lance Brauman, hopefully we can qualify for the Tokyo World Championships. If not, I’ll just finish my school in Year 12.”

Yes, you read that right — Gout is in year 11 at Ipswich Grammar and doesn’t turn 17 until late December.

He praised his family for making him “faster”.

“They had a tough journey growing up. My parents were born in South Sudan, my sister was born in Egypt and my older brother was born in South Sudan. They migrated over here for a better life and I think it’s working pretty well,” Gout said.

“Track and field right now is getting bigger. Australia is big in track and field now and I couldn’t be happier.”

Gout Gout is something else. Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

The performance of Australia’s new crown prince of sprinting has left the nation stunned.

Sports reporter Mark Gottlieb wrote: “Sure this is heavily wind assisted but the way Gout Gout just floats across the track over the last 40 metres is incredible. Tell me it doesn’t remind you of the way Usain Bolt glided at his peak. Gonna be an absolute superstar this kid.”

Sports commentator John Casey posted: “16-year-old Gout Gout today confirmed his status as one of the most exciting athletes in #Australia running a wind-assisted 10.04 in Brisbane.”

Sky Racing’s Michael Charge tweeted: “They thought Black Caviar was quick, Gout Gout to the equine machine …. hold my beer. This boy can run & will deliver Australia our 1st ever Olympic 100m in a few years! He again destroys the fastest Juniors in the Country, despite being a touch slow into stride … 10.17.”

Another suggested: “Gout Gout will be the most prominent Australian on the planet in 5 years. He must be protected at all costs.”

The result caps off an incredible year — and could get even better with the 200m heats and finals on Saturday.

The teenager has Australia excited. Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

The Queenslander claimed silver at the world under-20s championships in August in a time of 20.60, dropping the time to 20.29 at the All Schools Queensland track and field championships last month.

To put the performance in perspective, Gout not only smashed the Queensland Open 200m record, the Australian under-18 and under-20 records as well as the Oceania under-18 and under-20s records, but also became the fourth fastest Australian in history over 200m and registered the equal seventh fastest time.

While Gout broke his own under-18 records, he lowered Aidan Murphy’s under-20s record of 20.42 set in 2022.

For the record, Peter Norman’s 1968 run in the final of the Mexico City Olympics is the fastest ever time by an Australian at 20.06.

It’s very clear this is just the beginning for this young man.

Originally published as ‘That is history’: Gout Gout runs 10.04, shatters Australian under-18s record