Gout Gout, 18, shatters new record with time faster than Usain Bolt | Other | Sport

He shattered both the U20 world record and the national record when he blazed through the 200m in a breathtaking 19.67 seconds. In doing so, he also became the first Australian in history to complete the 200m in under 20 seconds – even Usain Bolt, at the same age, did not reach those same speeds. Gout Gout struggled to contain his emotions as he crossed the finish line, leaping with delight and celebrating alongside his manager James Templeton. It was yet another extraordinary performance from a young athlete who has already caught the eye of Bolt.

He had been expected to face a stern test from Lachlan Kennedy, a 100m champion who had previously beaten him over 200m on two occasions, but the rival sprinter withdrew from the event early. Calab Law was another contender tipped to push Gout Gout hard, yet he was left trailing in the 18-year-old’s wake.

Aidan Murphy, best known in Australia for making a costly mistake that led to the nation’s relay team being disqualified at last year’s World Athletics Championship, proved to be the closest challenger to the teenage star. It was only towards the end Gout Gout’s stride appeared to lengthen, devouring the track like a lightning-quick Great White Shark – Murphy would cross the line in 20.11 seconds, roughly half a second behind Gout Gout.

Gout Gout had clocked 19.84 seconds in the 200m at the national championships last year, yet the tailwind behind him was deemed too powerful, rendering what would have been a record-breaking performance invalid. His 19.67s in Sydney obliterated that mark and every time ever recorded by a U20 athlete throughout the entire history of the sport.

At the same age, even Bolt, the quickest man ever to set foot on a track, had not come close to that breathtaking pace. Had Gout Gout posted this time at the 2020 Olympic Games, he would have edged out American star Noah Lyles to claim the bronze medal.

Had he been competing 26 years ago when his nation hosted the Games in Sydney, he would have finished the day draped in gold. The world appears to lie at Gout Gout’s jet-heeled feet.

However, in an interview last year, Bolt urged his Australian protégé not to get ahead of himself. The eight-time Olympic gold medal winner said: “If he continues on this track it’s going to be good but it’s all about getting everything right. I mean, it’s never just easy.

“It’s always easier when you’re younger because I was there, I used to do great things when I was young but the transition to senior from junior is always tougher.

“It’s all about if you get the right coach, the right people around you, if you’re focused enough, so there will be a lot of factors to determine if he’s going to be great, and if he’s going to continue on the same trajectory to a championship or Olympics.”