Aussie Gout Gout breaks Olympic champ Noah Lyles’ record
Aussie teen sensation Gout Gout has got the world talking again with a historic run that has bested Olympic champ Noah Lyles.
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Gout Gout can’t stop breaking records.
The 17-year-old sensation has got the world talking again with a run that has bested a personal best mark set by Olympic champ Noah Lyles.
Stepping outside his 100m and 200m sprint disciplines, Gout stepped up to run the 400m in the Joanna Stone Shield meet in Brisbane on Saturday.
Gout last week warned American sprint king Lyles he was coming for him and — at the 400m distance at least — he has already got him.
Gout clocked 46.20 seconds, nearly a full second quicker than Lyles’ own personal best mark — 47.04 seconds, set in 2016.
The time was also the fastest U18 time by an Australian for 35 years.
It’s also possible Gout had more to give in the record-breaking run, using it as a time trial more than a competitive race, according to coach Di Sheppard.
The Queensland high school student in January set up camp in the US to train with Lyles and his coach Lance Brauman in a bid to qualify for the Tokyo World Championships.
He is on track.
Gout will get his chance to book his ticket to Tokyo at the Australian Championships in Perth in April.
He has told Lyles to watch his back should they cross paths over 100m and 200m.
At least at 400m, Gout has the bragging rights.
Sheppard insisted running at the 400m distance is not something Gout will invest in.
“Today was just a time trial,” Shepard said.
“He does one of these every year to test his speed endurance.”
It comes after Gout featured alongside Lyles on the Beyond the Records podcast and showed he is not daunted by the challenge of chasing Lyles in coming years.
“I am trying to show you what’s up,” Gout said.
“I am trying to come out there with a bang. Whatever I’ve got to do to show Noah I am coming for that spot [I will do]!”
Lyles responded: “That’s what I love to hear”.
Gout in December blew the world away with back-to-back freakish runs at the Australian All Schools Athletics Championships where he wrote himself into history by breaking Peter Norman’s 56-year 200m record.
His run of 20.04 is the second fastest by an under-18 runner in history, beaten only by American Erriyon Knighton, who ran 19.84 in 2021. Senior men’s world record holder Usain Bolt’s best under-18s time of 20.13 has now been bumped to third all-time.
In saturday’s 400m event, Jye Gilliard was not far behind Gout, running a 46.65, while Daniel Blest was third in 47.03.
Gout’s attention will now shift to the Stawell Gift, which will be run on April 21.
Originally published as Aussie Gout Gout breaks Olympic champ Noah Lyles’ record
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