Seventeen-year-old Gout Gout is taking the track world by storm — and he’s doing it fast. On Sunday, the Aussie teen clocked a stunning 19.84 seconds in the 200m at the Australian Athletics Championships, aided by a strong tailwind but still jaw-dropping.

Smashing Youth Records, Drawing Global Attention

That time makes Gout the second fastest U20 sprinter ever under any conditions, edging past Usain Bolt’s 19.93 in 2004 and Justin Gatlin’s 19.86 in 2001. The wind speed may disqualify it from record books, but the performance left no doubt: this kid is legit.

Just two days earlier, he lit up the 100m with a 9.99-second run — again wind-assisted, but still a major statement. And it’s not just the times turning heads. World Athletics President Sebastian Coe called Gout a “rare talent” earlier this year, and the buzz hasn’t stopped growing.

Focused Under Pressure, Humble in Victory

Born in Australia to South Sudanese parents, Gout first made global waves last December by running a 20.04 in the 200m — the fastest ever by a 16-year-old, even faster than Bolt at the same age. Now, he’s proving it was no fluke.

Sunday’s race didn’t start smoothly. After two false starts, including one by top contender Lachlan Kennedy, Gout stayed calm and composed. “I was a bit nervous,” he said. “But in my head, I’m just keeping my composure… I just made sure I didn’t false start or be unsteady, and I took off.”

Other Highlights from Perth

Elsewhere in Perth, Kurtis Marschall claimed the men’s pole vault title with a 5.71m jump — below his 6.00m goal but enough to secure gold. Three-time Olympian Peter Bol shattered the national 800m record, clocking 1:43.79. Meanwhile, high jump star Nicola Olyslagers cleared 2.01m to win her event, continuing her dominant form after retaining her world indoor title last month.

But the weekend belonged to Gout. Wind or not, he’s sprinting his way into history — and he’s just getting started.