18-yr-old Gout Gout breaks Usain Bolt’s 200m record

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Eighteen-year-old Australian sprint sensation Gout Gout delivered a stunning performance on Sunday, winning the national 200m title in a time faster than what Usain Bolt achieved at the same age.

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The teenager clocked an impressive 19.67 seconds in Sydney, setting a new world under-20 record and marking the fastest time globally this year. It was also the first time Gout had legally broken the 20-second barrier, following a wind-assisted 19.84 run last season.

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His latest feat surpasses Bolt’s 19.93 recorded in 2004, when the Jamaican legend was 17 and set what was then a world junior record. Bolt never improved on that mark as a teenager before going on to dominate the sport and set multiple senior world records.

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Before this, Gout already held the fastest-ever time by a 16-year-old after running 20.06 in 2024, a performance that announced his arrival on the global stage.

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American sprinter Erriyon Knighton still holds the fastest ever under-20 time of 19.49 seconds, set in 2022, although it was not ratified as an official world U20 record. Knighton’s recognised record of 19.69, also set in June 2022, stood until Gout’s breakthrough run.

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Fellow Australian Aidan Murphy also impressed, finishing second in 19.88 to make it two Australians running sub-20 seconds in the same race.

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“This is what I’ve been waiting for,” Gout said after the race.

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“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.

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“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.”

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Despite his rising profile, Gout has indicated he will skip the upcoming Commonwealth Games, which begins on July 23, to focus instead on the World Under-20 Championships in Oregon in early August.

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