Seventeen-year-old Australian sprint sensation Gout Gout lit up the track at the Australian U20 Championships, running a blistering 9.99 seconds twice in one day — further fueling the buzz that he’s Usain Bolt’s chosen heir.
At the national championships in Perth on Thursday, Gout stunned fans by clocking 9.99s (+3.5m/s) in his 100m heat. He returned hours later to repeat the feat in the final with a 9.99s finish again (+2.6m/s).
Unfortunately, both times won’t count as official personal bests due to illegal tailwinds exceeding the allowable +2.0m/s. But that hasn’t stopped the hype.
Gout, whose previous best was 10.17s, was thrilled by his performance.
“That’s what I was hoping for. I didn’t get the start I anticipated, but I just focused on what I needed to do, got through my drive phase, kept pushing, and saw the clock — can’t be happier than that,” he said after the race.
It’s been a breakout season for the teenage prodigy. In March, he clocked a world-leading 200m time of 20.05s — just 0.01s shy of his own Australian record of 20.04s, set in December. Then, at the Queensland State Championships, he became the first Australian to run sub-20 in the 200m, posting 19.98s — though once again, the wind (+3.6m/s) denied him an official record.
Despite the wind readings, Gout’s consistency and raw speed are making headlines globally. His performances are silencing doubters and backing up the belief that he might truly be the next sprint king after Bolt.
With the 100m now in the bag, all eyes will be on Gout as he returns to the track for his favourite event — the 200m — this Sunday. The world will be watching to see if he can deliver another jaw-dropping performance and continue his rise to stardom.
Two 9.99s in a day for 17-year-old 🇦🇺 Gout Gout!!
— Track & Field Gazette (@TrackGazette) April 10, 2025
He wins the Australian U20 100m title in Perth in a time of 9.99s (2.6)!pic.twitter.com/s8WqEtzviM
