Gout Gout shatters Australian athletics’ longest-standing record in 200m final at Australian All Schools Championships

Gout Gout has written himself into Australian athletics history by breaking the country’s longest-standing record — which had stood for almost 50 years.

No Australian has been able to run this fast over 200m and not even the great Usain Bolt could do what Gout Gout has just done as a 16-year-old.

In one of the most breath-taking performances in Australian sport, the Year 11 student went under Peter Norman’s 56-year-old 200m record - the longest held senior record in Australian athletics - by clocking a mind-blowing 20.04sec at the Australian All Schools Championships.

Norman set the mark in winning the silver medal at the 1968 Mexico Olympics and no-one has been able to get close since.

But there has never been anyone like Gout in Australia before and Saturday’s performance in Brisbane further fuels the belief that he is on a Bolt-like trajectory.

Gout Gout after winning the 200m final. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Gout lowered Bolt’s world junior championships record for a 16-year-old in winning the silver medal in August in Peru and now he’s smashed the eight-time Olympic champion’s best time at the same age, 20.13sec, out of the park.

He is now chasing American Erriyon Knighton in the record books who owns the fastest U/18 time in history, 19.84sec in 2021.

To put Gout’s 20.04sec run in perspective, he would have finished sixth in the Paris Olympics 200m final, won the silver medal at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games and the gold medal on the Gold Coast (2018) and Glasgow (2014).

“That wasn’t what I was expecting to be honest,” Gout said. “I came out today, I was feeling kind of tired, got through the heat and then thought we’ll see what the weather is like for finals.

“It turned out it was pretty good, so I came off the bend and just hit the pedal. It was a rocky start, an unsteady start but I came off the bend and it felt easy, I was flying.”

“I didn’t expect it to be that fast but I guess I ran Australia’s fastest ever time in the 200m.

“I have been chasing that record but I didn’t think it would come this year, I thought it would come next year or the year after that. To get it now is definitely a great achievement.”

The extraordinary 200m victory - he lowered his personal best by a staggering 0.25sec - came after he clocked an illegal wind-assisted 10.04sec in the 100m heats on Friday.

This time the wind was in his favour with everyone at QSAC Stadium holding their breath before the reading of +1.5m/sec flashed on the screen. (The legal limit is +2).

All of Gout’s family - including his mum and dad and six siblings - were in the stands to cheer on the teenager who is rapidly becoming the next big thing in Australian sport.

“These are adult times, me as a kid running them so it’s definitely got to be good for the future for sure,” he said.

Gout Gout will be the most prominent Australian on the planet in 5 years. He must be protected at all costs.

— Ben (@benno_76) December 6, 2024

Gout of this world! Gout Gout, at 16, breaks Peter Norman's fabled 1968 Australian 200m record (20.06sec), clocking 20.04sec. Also faster than Usain Bolt's 16 years best (20.13), the qualifying time for the World Champs in Tokyo next year (20.16). Second fastest U18 ever.

— Nicole Jeffery (@nicolejeffery) December 7, 2024

Jaw-dropping turnout to watch a 16yo. Am I naive to hope a stadium for athletics would be a legacy for Brisbane 2032?

Take a bow Gout Gout. pic.twitter.com/8zvME6uzSB

— Damien Stannard (@dstanno) December 6, 2024

“I have been getting pressure (this year), my video went viral right before the world juniors and that already gave enough pressure for me.

“For me pressure makes diamonds and I’m better than a diamond.”

Gout, who turns 17 later this month, isn’t planning any major celebrations and will take a short break before setting his sights on the senior world championships in Tokyo next year.

“I just want to go home and sleep to be honest, that is my celebration,” he said. “Just eat some food and chill with my family.”

Originally published as Gout Gout shatters Australian athletics’ longest-standing record in 200m final at Australian All Schools Championships