You may not yet know who Gout Gout is, but if you like sports, get ready to hear that name a lot in the coming years. The Australian athletics phenomenon is only 16 years old, but he is already breaking one record after another, signed a sponsorship contract with Adidas and is already being compared to Usain Bolt, the greatest sprinter of all time, both in terms of talent and ability. to attract sponsors.
Last week, Gout made history once again at an athletics championship in Australia. During the 100 meter heats, Gout Gout recorded a time of 10.04 seconds, the fourth best mark in history for athletes under the age of 18.
The son of immigrants from South Sudan, Gout was born near Brisbane, two years after his parents settled in Queensland. His potential was identified by a coach at his school, he remembers seeing him run for the first time when he was 13 years old. “There was something about him and the way he moved. My instinct screamed: who is that boy?” says Di Sheppard.
Continues after advertising
Success came quickly for Gout. At 14, he was already beating the times of top Australian athletes who were two years older than him. At 15, he broke the 200 meter record in the under-18 category. In August, he participated in the U20 World Championship and secured a silver medal.
Soon after, he signed his first sponsorship deal with Adidas, marking the beginning of a partnership that could last long into his career.
His performance places him among the best in the world on the youth performance list, alongside prodigies such as Puripol Boonson, Erriyon Knighton and the legend Usain Bolt. Comparisons with Bolt arise naturally, as Gout shares stylistic similarities with the Jamaican.
Continues after advertising
However, the young athlete is determined to forge his own identity in sport. “I see myself in that comparison, but I’m trying to be myself. I want to keep doing this and not just be Usain Bolt, but also be Gout Gout,” he said.
In January, Gout plans to team up with Lance Brauman, the American coach who turned Noah Lyles into an Olympic and world champion.
With the 2032 Olympics set to be held in his hometown of Brisbane, Gout will be 25 at the time and theoretically in top shape. While it’s too early to label him the face of the Games, this young sprinter appears to be on track to become a star in athletics — and in the business of sports.
