Teen sprint star Gout Gout ‘ready to rock and roll’ in Melbourne

MELBOURNE – Australian sprint sensation Gout Gout said on March 26 that he was “ready to rock and roll”, as the teenager targets a lightning-fast 200m time in Melbourne this weekend.

The 18-year-old burst onto the scene in 2024 when he clocked 20.04 seconds at the Australian All Schools Athletics Championships.

It shattered Peter Norman’s national record of 20.06sec from the 1968 Olympics and was the quickest time ever by a 16-year-old.

It earned him comparisons to Usain Bolt – who has praised the youngster for being “very talented” – and he has since run 20.02sec.

At his debut world championships in Tokyo in 2025, Gout crashed out in the semi-finals.

However, he gets another chance to showcase his ability at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold Maurie Plant meet on March 28.

It will be a rematch with compatriot Lachlan Kennedy.

Kennedy upset Gout to win a pulsating 200m at the same meet in 2025 in 20.26sec.

The race this time also features Irish sub-20sec man Benjamin Richardson.

“I’m all clear, all healthy. I’m ready to rock and roll on Saturday,” said Gout, who was troubled with a head cold earlier in March.

“I mean, the sprint is always the sprint, you have to run as fast as you can. Knowing Lachie, he is such a great starter. I know I have to work hard on my bend and as soon as I come off that bend, hammer down everything.”

On facing high expectations, he said: “It’s definitely, you could say, a bit of pressure with that, but knowing me, I love running and I’ve just got to do the best I can.

“Going out there and knowing it’s a new year, it’s a new race and it’s a new competition. So (the plan is) going out there, keeping an open mindset and still heading for that win.”

Gout, who was born in Australia after his parents migrated from South Sudan, has attracted global attention since hitting the headlines in 2024.

He has now finished school and expects to have more time to train to truly fulfil his potential.

“Training is definitely going to be a lot more professional in a way, knowing that I can train a lot more efficiently,” he added. “(I can) get a lot more reps and get in the gym a bit more. That’s definitely going to be a major factor.”

Other notable athletes in Melbourne include Olympic pole vault champion Nina Kennedy and British Olympic 1,500m bronze medallist Georgia Hunter Bell. AFP