Sprint sensation Gout Gout, 16, smashes another record as he looks to become next Usain Bolt

11/06/2024 04:24 AM

A 16-YEAR-OLD sprint sensation has broken another record after already running faster than Usain Bolt this year.

Australian Gout Gout won the 100m and 200m at the All Schools Queensland Championship.

He ran an incredible 20.29 in the 200m heat, beating his competitors to the finish line by a considerable margin.

Gout Gout’s time was the quickest by an Australian for 31 years, while he also broke Area Under-18 and U20 records.

He is now the fourth fastest Australian and fourth fastest U18 ever in the 200m.

The teen went on to claim victory in the 200m final with a time of 20.52 seconds.

Both of his 200m times are quicker than Bolt’s previous record for 200m at the U20 World Championships.

Gout Gout has also ran 100m in just 10.2 seconds, leading to big expectations for his future.

He was signed by Adidas last week, penning a sponsorship deal with the sports clothing brand.

However iconic US sprinter Justin Gaitlin has warned against comparing Gout Gout and other promising youngsters to a legend like Bolt.

He said: “Looking at what Bolt did – and not taking anything away from Gout Gout or anybody else that's doing their thing right now and dominating.

"When Bolt was a junior, he had the junior world record, which at that point in time, in 2004, this dude ran 19 low nine. 19.93 was his record, bro.

“If you put that against these guys today, he is eclipsing them.

“To say that this person is the next and that person is the next, I feel like we give the microphone to the bandwagoners.

"Stop putting these young athletes on a path that comes with a lot of stress and comes with a lot of pressure. Let them go out there and develop themselves.

"If anything, let them say, ‘No, I'm Gout Gout, I'm about to be different. I'm [Letsile] Tebogo, I'm about to be different.”