Gout Gout wins 200m at Golden Spike event in dream European debut

Against the toughest field he’d ever faced, Gout Gout put the athletics world on notice in emphatic style to lower his career best 200m record and again draw comparisons to the great Usain Bolt.

The world had heard all the hype, now they’re also Gout Gout believers after the teenager broke his own national record in an extraordinary European debut.

Shrugging off the weight of expectation the 17-year-old Ipswich schoolboy put Year 12 studies on hold to put his flag in the ground and the athletics world on notice in emphatic style, clocking 20.02sec at the Ostrava Golden Spike.

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Against the toughest field he’d ever faced, Gout chased down Cuba’s Reynier Mena over the final 20m to lower his career best 200m record by 0.02sec and again draw comparisons to the great Usain Bolt.

It was the same venue Bolt made his European debut as a 17-year-old. Interestingly, the world’s greatest sprinter ran 19.93sec close to his 18th birthday, Gout’s 18th is still more than six months away.

“Get some more races in me and it (20 seconds) will drop for sure,” Gout said.

Gout Gout powers to victory in the 200m at the Golden Spike. Picture: AFP

Gout Gout celebrates after winning the 200m event at the Golden Spike in Ostrava. Picture: AFP

Gout Gout celebrates after winning the 200m event at the Golden Spike in Ostrava. Picture: AP

“I feel good. New personal best, new national record in my first European race.

“I don’t feel any pressure. Because as soon as I step out on that track, it’s just me by myself and what I’ve got to do — my favourite thing, and that’s to run.

“So, I just go out there and run and nothing stops me from doing that.

”“I’ve felt stronger in training these last couple of months and I’ve felt good since I got to Europe last Thursday.

“I knew Mena would come hard at me the first 100 but I was confident I’d be close enough to come home strongly in the second part of the race which is of course my stronger part.

“I felt calm but strong as I came off the turn and was confident I’d be strong enough to get the win.”

Gout Gout wins the 200m at the Golden Spike meet in Czech Republic

Mena, who was coming off a victory at the Stockholm Diamond League, finished in 20.19sec with Britain’s Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake next in 20.60s.

Gout Gout has been living with Bolt comparisons since he broke Peter Norman’s 56-year-old national 200m record, clocking 20.04sec as a 16-year-old in December.

He then ran a wind-assisted 19.84sec in April at the national championships as well as an illegal 9.99sec for the 100m.

In the lead-up to the Golden Spike, Gout was asked about his comparisons with Bolt with the Olympic great previously commented the Australian teenager looks like him when he runs.

“It definitely feels great to be compared to Bolt,” Gout said.

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“I’ve heard that a lot of sprinters run here really good. I know Usain Bolt ran here nine times, so the event clearly has a great tradition.

“Who doesn’t want to be Usain Bolt? Being compared to Usain Bolt feels great, but I would like to put my personality in the upcoming story.”

“The main goal of the season is obviously world championships (in Tokyo in September). Let’s see what I can do on the world stage against professional athletes. Hopefully I can run fast and perform well.”

It was a stellar night for Australia with another teenager Cameron Myers running a personal best 3min29.80sec in the 1500m, a new national U/20 record while Peter Bol wound back the clock, winning the 800m in 1:43.80sec, just .01sec off his own national record.

Originally published as Gout Gout wins 200m at Golden Spike event in dream European debut