Gout Gout locks in blockbuster 2026 athletics schedule

Teen sprint sensation Gout Gout has confirmed his blockbuster next move, proving a shock Aussie move has completely backfired.

Gout Gout has locked in a bumper 2026 athletics schedule, confirming he intends to run for gold at next year’s Commonwealth Games.

There had been some question marks over where the teenager would compete at next year’s event in Glasgow in July, with the World Junior Athletics Championships in August the main goal on his hit list.

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The Commonwealth Games will be held in Glasgow, Scotland next year from July 23 to August 2, and Gout’s camp confirmed he will likely run the 100m because it is early on in the program.

He could also run the 200m at the Comm Games but that remains to be seen, given the 17-year-old is targeting the world junior championships the following month in Eugene, Oregon in the United States (August 5-9).

According to Code Sports, an agreement was reached for Gout to run in both events after lobbying from Channel 7, which is broadcasting the Commonwealth Games.

Gout Gout has locked in a bumper 2026. (Photo by Michal Cizek / AFP)

“We need to wait for the full Commonwealth Games program to be released, but yes we are planning that Gout will be available to run an event in Glasgow before going onto the World Juniors in Eugene,” Gout’s manager James Templeton said.

Gout’s camp has been slow playing the early stages of his career, conscious of the hype train getting out of control after he broke Peter Norman’s longstanding national 200m record last year.

The Year 12 student ran a personal best of 20.02sec at the Ostrava Golden Spike meet in the Czech Republic earlier this year, and he won another Under-23 200m race on his Diamond League debut in Monaco.

The next milestone for Gout is the 20-second barrier, which should only take him a matter of time to break if he can finally get some favourable wind conditions.

He will make his senior international debut at September’s World Championships in Japan, where he could come up against the USA’s Noah Lyles and Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo.

Australia's Gout Gout celebrates after at the Diamond League in Monaco. (Photo by Valery HACHE / AFP)

Gout’s commitment to competing in the Commonwealth Games is another gut punch for Aussies after Dan Andrews’ Victorian government ditched its support, resulting in the event becoming modified with fewer sports.

The Victorian government decided in July 2023 to cancel the Commonwealth Games, which were to be held throughout regional Victoria, with 2014 host Glasgow stepping in.

Glasgow 2026 will be the 23rd edition of the Commonwealth Games and will feature a 10-sport program and approximately 3,000 athletes competing from up to 74 Commonwealth nations and territories.

Glasgow 2026 will once again be a fully integrated event, featuring six Para sports and a record 47 Para sport medal events, making it the largest integrated Para sport program in Commonwealth Games history.

The 2026 Games will include Athletics and Para Athletics (track and field), Swimming and Para Swimming, Artistic Gymnastics, Track Cycling and Para Track Cycling, Netball, Weightlifting and Para Powerlifting, Boxing, Judo, Bowls and Para Bowls, and 3x3 Basketball and 3x3 Wheelchair Basketball.

Gout is Australia’s next big athletics star. Picture: Jonathan Ng

The Commonwealth Games has provided a launch pad for countless Australian athletes over the years as they make the leap from untapped prospects to bona fide stars and Olympic champions.

Think Cathy Freeman, Steve Hooker, Sally Pearson and Ariarne Titmus, just to name a few.

“We’ve stood tall against the champion endurance runners of Kenya, sprinters from Jamaica and the world’s best netballers,” Bruce McAvaney said.

“Superstars have emerged – a 16-year-old Cathy Freeman and Hayley Lewis, just 15, at the 1990 Games in Auckland. We witnessed Raelene Boyle’s awesome swansong in Brisbane and shared the emotion as Kerryn McCann won the marathon at the MCG in 2006. It was spine-tingling to watch Oli Hoare run down two world champions to win the 1500m in Birmingham,” he said.

“The Glasgow Games bring with them a new impetus, a new enthusiasm and another opportunity to cement relationships among nations. It is thrilling and a privilege for Seven to be able to continue our long association bringing the Games to all Australians.”

Originally published as Gout Gout locks in blockbuster 2026 athletics schedule