Australian Teen Sprinter Sets World Age Record in 200 Meters

Australian sprinter Gout Gout thought he was in trouble when his school's track coach called him over for a chat six years ago. The coach had spotted him running around with friends and believed he had exceptional talent. The coach told the school's headmaster the student would become a star.

Six years later, the athlete, now 18, holds national and world records along with multiple trophies and medals. He is the son of South Sudanese immigrants and one of seven children in his family. The coach, who had no formal track background when she began working at the school, has remained his only coach throughout.

"It's a pretty crazy dynamic when you think about it. The old White lady and a young Black kid, you know? It's a crazy dynamic," Gout said. " The pair have described their relationship as one in which personalities complement each other. "Our personalities kinda filter off each other," Gout said.

"We're all on the same level, and we're all learning. The coach spent six months adjusting his walking technique to get his heel down. The athlete only hit puberty in the last 12 to 18 months, according to the coach. The sprinter stands 6 feet tall and weighs less than 150 pounds, a build more typical of longer-distance runners.

He sometimes struggles off the starting blocks but maintains top speeds of roughly 25 mph with strong mid-race endurance. The coach has expressed concern about possible injury or burnout if training intensity increases too quickly. "If I tried to make him super quick now I'd break him," the coach said.

A movement scientist at Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia, noted that the athlete excels at releasing explosive energy stored in his Achilles tendons and uses fewer steps by creating height as he runs down the track.

During the Australian secondary school championships in December 2024, the athlete, then 16, recorded 20.04 seconds in the 200-meter dash. The time set a new Australian record and broke a world age-group mark previously set by Usain Bolt in 2003. It also surpassed a record from the 1968 Olympics.

Last fall, at age 17, he finished fourth in his semi-final heat at the Track World Championships in Tokyo. Last month in Sydney, he became the fastest teenager ever in the 200m with a time of 19.67 seconds. That performance would have earned a bronze medal at the 2024 Olympics.

"My first couple steps I had a good start. And if I have a good start, you know, it's kind of over. Because my top-end speed is great. And once I get into top-end speed, I'm flying," Gout said.

The athlete graduated from Ipswich Grammar School in December with straight A's. He continues to train with local children in his hometown rather than at a specialized world-class facility. Both the athlete and coach believe this environment remains the most suitable for his current development.

"It's crazy to think about how you want to run as fast as possible but you don't want to overload too much when you're a teenager because then that messes up the rest of your career," Gout said. " The 2028 Olympics will be held in Los Angeles, followed by the 2032 Games in Brisbane, Australia, when the sprinter will be 24 years old.

Sprinters typically reach peak performance in their mid-20s.