Australian teenager Gout Gout has achieved a remarkable athletic milestone by running the 200 meters faster than legendary sprinter Usain Bolt did at the same age.
At just 18 years old, Gout clocked an astonishing 19.67 seconds to claim victory at the Australian national championships in Sydney on Sunday. This performance not only marks his first legal sub-20-second time—following a wind-assisted 19.84 last season—but also stands as the fastest 200m time recorded globally this year.
Gout's journey to this historic moment began two years earlier when, at 16, he set a national record of 20.06 seconds, the quickest ever for his age group. His latest time surpasses Bolt's 19.93-second run from 2004, when the Jamaican icon was also 18.
"This is what I've been waiting for," Gout said after the race. "We have such incredible athletes in Australia, and me being able to race these athletes, we push each other to the limits. Two Australians sub-20—I mean, this is amazing."
He added, "There's a big weight off my shoulders knowing I ran it legally, and I have the speed and my body to run times like that. So, it definitely feels great, and ready for more."
Gout, who was born in Queensland to parents from South Sudan, shared the podium with fellow Australian Aidan Murphy, who also broke the 20-second barrier with a time of 19.88 seconds.
Looking ahead, Gout has indicated he will bypass the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow later this month to concentrate on the World Under-20 Championships in Oregon this August, where he aims to continue his meteoric rise in the sprinting world.