Usain Bolt’s call on Gout Gout after Australian sprint sensation takes athletics world by storm

Gout Gout has been inundated with messages since his heroics in breaking Peter Norman’s 56 year-old Australian record for the 200m, but one stood out as the teenager’s new life takes shape.

A special VIP introduction on the flight down to Melbourne which had the other passengers standing and cheering for him is Gout Gout’s new world.

That’s what happened on Monday to Australia’s sprint megastar as the 16-year-old’s record-breaking performance over the weekend continues to go viral around the world.

Since his heroics in breaking Peter Norman’s 56 year-old Australian record on Saturday, Gout has been inundated with messages including from the greatest sprinter ever and the man he runs like, Usain Bolt.

“Obviously it has been mad and hasn’t really sunk in yet,” Gout said.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - DECEMBER 06: Gout Gout celebrates after winning his Boys' U18 100m final during the 2024 Chemist Warehouse Australian All Schools Athletics Championship at Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre on December 06, 2024 in Brisbane, Australia. At 16 years of age, Australian sprinter Gout Gout has been breaking records in the 100m and 200m. At the Australian All Schools Athletics Championship Gout ran a 10.04 second heat with a tail wind and won the final in a legal 10.17 seconds. In the 200m final he ran an Australian National record of 20.04 seconds, breaking a 56 year old national record set by Peter Norman at the 1968 Mexico Summer Olympics. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

“Probably not for a couple of months I think but it has been a crazy response.

“There have been quite a few people reach out but Usain, that took the boat for sure.”

Bolt responded to a post on the Jumpers World website where they had a picture of Gout flexing his biceps with the winning time of 20.04sec alongside the comment: “He is out of this world.”

To which Bolt simply replied: “He looks like young me.”

Usain Bolt replies to Jumpers World post on Gout Gout.

Gout was in Melbourne for a series of meetings including at the headquarters of his new sponsor Adidas, which won a bidding war for the Queensland schoolboy.

He also had a special one-on-one with Ch7 owner Kerry Stokes who is a major track and field fan.

While his network will be covering the Australian athletics season next year where Gout will be the main attraction, Stokes didn’t want to talk business – he just wanted to sit down and meet Australia’s next sporting superstar.

Gout’s manager James Templeton has been fielding calls from all over the world with media outlets in New York and Europe wanting to get in on the extraordinary story of the Aussie kid with the South Sudan heritage.

One person who can relate to having the spotlight of a nation on them is Olympic 800m finalist Peter Bol, who met up with Gout for a light training session in Clifton Hill on Tuesday afternoon.

Gout Gout on his way to the 100m title. Picture: Getty Images

Bol, who is also an Adidas ambassador, has known what a special talent Gout was for some time so he wasn’t surprised with the incredible feats at the Australian All-School Championships in Brisbane.

“I wasn’t surprised, he’s got all the talent, the support team, the coach so I wasn’t surprised, I was really happy,” Bol said.

“To do it at 16 is unreal and how easy he handles all the attention too, he’s got a a big future ahead for sure.”

Gout, who turns 17 on December 29, will now take a short break before the whirlwind continues as he heads to the US to train alongside Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles at his base near Orlando.

Originally published as Usain Bolt’s call on Gout Gout after Australian sprint sensation takes athletics world by storm