Australian teen sprint sensation Gout Gout’s record run earns comparison to Usain Bolt
The 16-year-old’s performances at the schools championships have gone viral, receiving a shout-out from the Jamaican world-record holder
Schoolboy sensation Gout Gout is bathing in new-found celebrity and savouring comparisons to Usain Bolt following his eye-catching runs at the Australian schools championships in Brisbane.
The 16-year-old ran the 200 metres in 20.04 seconds in Brisbane on Saturday to break the national record Peter Norman set at the 1968 Olympics.
The son of migrants from war-torn South Sudan, Gout also clocked a blistering 10.04 seconds in the 100 metres heats on Friday in a wind of +3.4, the fourth-fastest time in all conditions by an Australian.
Gout’s performances went viral on social media and earned a shout-out from 100m and 200m world-record holder Bolt, who posted on Instagram: “He looks like young me.”
Now the biggest name in Australian athletics while finishing year 11 at high school, Gout said the reaction since the weekend had been overwhelming.
“Obviously it has been mad and hasn’t really sunk in yet,” Gout told Australian media.
