Australian sprint star Lachlan Kennedy has thrown his support behind teenage sensation Gout Gout after the rising talent came under fire from an American rival.
Gout will race in Monaco during his school holidays in an under-23 200m event before heading to Ostrava as part of his European tour. The trip comes as the Ipswich Grammar schoolboy balances international competition with his final year of secondary school, all while building towards the World Championships in Tokyo this September.
However, American 400m specialist Noah Williams stirred controversy this week when he accused the 17-year-old of ‘ducking’ top sprinters. Speaking on the Track World News podcast, Williams said Gout’s decision to compete in an under-age event instead of an Open 200m was “really just soft.”
“The kid is super talented, but that is beside the point,” Williams claimed.
“The narrative now is that he’s ducking these professional races.”
Kennedy, who edged out Gout in a thrilling 200m final at the Maurie Plant Meet in Melbourne earlier this year, was quick to defend his compatriot. Speaking to Fox Sports Australia, Kennedy dismissed the criticism.
“Monaco’s a great place to race, and he’s heading over during his school holidays, it’s not like he has the flexibility to travel the world whenever he wants,” Kennedy said.
“Even if there was an open 200m, he’s got years ahead to test himself against the very best.”
Kennedy stressed that Gout’s European tour is less about the caliber of his rivals and more about gaining invaluable international racing experience.
“At the end of the day, it’s still good competition,” Kennedy added.
“It’s part of a Diamond League pre-meet, so there’ll be quality athletes there. But more importantly, it’s about learning to travel, race overseas, and handle those pressures. The experience matters just as much as the competition right now.”
Fresh from helping Australia’s 4x100m relay team qualify for Tokyo at the World Relay Championships in China, Kennedy also pointed out the logistical realities behind Gout’s race choices.
“There’s a lot people don’t see. They just look at the start list and miss the bigger picture,” he said.
“His team’s smart about how they manage him. He’ll still be racing older, experienced athletes, and the fact he’s on the start list draws stronger fields anyway.”
Australian Athletics high performance director Andrew Faichney echoed those sentiments.
“He’s got excellent support from his coaches and managers,” Faichney told Fox Sports.
“We’re careful not to overload him because he’s still a kid.”
Gout, who recently broke Peter Norman’s long-standing Australian 200m record, has his sights set firmly on the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics and his hometown Brisbane 2032 Games.
“The times I’ve run so far could potentially make finals, maybe top four or five,” Gout said in a recent appearance on Fox Sports’ The Back Page.
“Getting better, aiming for LA and trying to get on that podium against guys like Tebogo, Noah Lyles, Kennedy — that’s definitely the goal.”
For now, Kennedy is confident his young rival is on the right track.
“He’s got plenty of time to race against the world’s best,” Kennedy said.
“If he keeps going the way he’s going, there won’t be much competition for him anywhere soon.”
