They say lightning doesn’t strike twice, but Gout Gout made it crackle twice in the same afternoon on 9th April. Now, we all know just what kind of form the youngster from down under has been in. But what he did yesterday was simply sensational. The 17-year-old sprint prodigy tore through the 100m in 9.99 seconds two times, once in his heat, then again in the final at the Australian championships in Perth. But before fans could even finish celebrating, the excitement was cut down. But how?
Well, as it so happens, the wind reading itself ended the Aussie sprinter’s celebrations. A 3.5 m/s gust in the heat and a +2.6 m/s in the final meant both times were wiped from the record books. Still, legal or not, everyone watching knew exactly what they’d witnessed: the future of Australian sprinting just sent shockwaves through the track. The time didn’t count, but the statement did. And this came just two weeks after Gout was beaten by 21-year-old Lachie Kennedy at the Maurie Plant meet.
SUB 10
’s Gout Gout runs 9.99 (+3.5) in the 100m heats, then backs it up with another 9.99 (+2.6) to win the U20 title at the Australian Athletics Championships
His first time ever under 10 seconds and he does it twice in one day
@caseysims_ pic.twitter.com/3cjcI4yiDO
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) April 10, 2025
Instead of sulking, Gout came back swinging. “Sometimes it’s frustrating,” he admitted. “But you can’t control the wind… you’ve got to learn how to run with it or against it.” That’s not just maturity — that’s mindset. However, sure, today’s result might feel a little bittersweet without the legal mark… but it’s hard to call it a loss when the kid just sent shockwaves through the sport. Sure, the wind stole his spotlight, but fans didn’t turn away. If anything, they rallied harder.
Fans lose their minds after Gout’s 9.99 sprint
One fan summed it up perfectly: “This is the next Phenom. 9.99 at 17 is crazy.” Another added, “He’s really insane,” while others couldn’t stop buzzing about his potential: “He’s going to be very exciting if he stays on form.” Sure, the wind was over the legal limit, but Gout’s back-to-back 9.99s at the Australian Athletics Championships still turned heads. Despite the times not counting officially, Gout joined an exclusive club — only the third Aussie ever to break the 10-second barrier in any conditions.
With this, he can now stand shoulder to shoulder with sprint greats Patrick Johnson and Rohan Browning. And the kicker? He’s still racing in the under-20 division. But if you think that was wild, just wait. Gout’s not done yet — the real fireworks might come Sunday, when he steps up in the open 200m. This isn’t just any race, either — it’s the same event where he already holds the national record at 20.04 seconds, breaking a mark that had stood for over half a century.
And right there in the lineup with him? Lachie Kennedy — the same sprinter who got the edge on him just two weeks ago. Another fan said it best: “Slowly but surely, Gout will develop to his immaculate maturity. Let’s be patient, folks, one race at a time. You go, Gout!” And honestly? That’s not just feel-good talk — Gout’s already backed it up with receipts. At the 2024 World Athletics U20 Championships in Lima, he clocked 20.60 in the 200m to snag silver.
Want to know how that stacks up? It’s 0.01 seconds faster than what Usain Bolt ran at the same age. Then he rolled into the Queensland All-Schools in November and tore up the track with a 20.29 — setting new Australian and Oceania U18 and U20 records. That time also made him the 4th fastest Aussie of all time and vaulted him near the top of the global under-18 list.
For someone still in high school, that’s not hype — that’s history in the making. One gushed, “The performance by Gout is, well, incredible, obviously, but these pix are stunning too. Especially the one on the left—genuinely crazily good. It says so much! If non-action pix were included for sports pix of the year, this would be a contender for sure! ” Another took it a step further: “I think he has a chance to beat Bolt’s record one day. Phenomenal athlete. He’s only 17. Born December 2007 .”
And it’s not a stretch — in December 2024, Gout ran 20.04 at the Australian All Schools Championships in Brisbane, shattering the national record that had stood for 56 years. That also smoked Bolt’s world U17 best of 20.13. So yeah, if anyone’s on a Bolt-like trajectory right now, it’s Gout Gout — and he’s just getting started.
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