Gout Gout has created yet even more history after breaking the 10-second barrier in the 100m on two occasions.
The Australian sprint sensation recorded times of 9.99 in both his under-20 100m heat and final at the Australian Athletics Championships in Perth (April 10).
However, both of those marks were wind-aided, with tailwinds of 3.5m/s and 2.6m/s in both races respectively, above the legal limit of 2m/s.
“That’s what I was hoping for,” the 17-year-old said immediately after his final. “I didn’t get the start that I anticipated but I just focused on what I needed to focus on. I got through my drive phase and kept on going from there. It’s definitely great to run with people my age as it gets my experience and confidence up.
“There are obviously moments where the media gets too much but at this moment I let it all sink in. My mindset is just to get into race mode and then it’s about getting the job done.”
Gout Gout (Getty)
Gout Gout, who is the Australian under-18 100m record-holder with 10.17, will now switch from junior to senior level for this Sunday’s 200m at the national championships.
Back in December, Gout took down Peter Norman’s senior national record of 20.06 – a mark that secured Norman the Olympic silver medal at the 1968 Mexico Olympics – with 20.04.
Gout’s run put him second on the global under-18 200m all-time list behind Erriyon Knighton, who ran 19.84 at the USATF Championships three years ago.
It meant that Gout is also faster than Usain Bolt over 200m in the under-18 age category, with the Jamaican clocking 20.13 in 2003.
“If the conditions are good then hopefully I can run a personal best [over 200m],” Gout added. “But we’ll just find out on the day.”
Lachlan Kennedy (Getty)
The other male Aussie sprints talent to watch in Perth is Lachlan Kennedy, who competes in the senior 100m preliminary round tomorrow morning.
Kennedy, who is only 21 himself, beat Gout in a thrilling 200m at a sold-out Maurie Plant Meet in Melbourne last month.
Although conditions weren’t perfect for sprinting – it was cool and there was a slight wind – the pair clocked 20.26 and 20.30 respectively, with Kennedy going fifth on the Australian 200m all-time list, behind Gout, Norman Dean Capobianco and John Dinan.
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