Australian sprint prodigy Gout Gout will make his senior international debut this week in the Czech Republic, targeting Tokyo 2025.
The 17-year-old returned to Ipswich Grammar after a stellar season and travelled to Europe to face seasoned professionals mid-year. His first stop is the Ostrava Golden Spike meet, an event rich in sprinting history, followed by an appearance at the prestigious Diamond League meeting in Monaco.
“This meet is a chance for me to see what I can do against professional athletes on the world stage,” Gout told The Guardian.
“The main goal of the season is obviously world championships, but hopefully I can run fast and perform well here.”
The teenager’s breakthrough over the past year has made waves in global athletics circles. His Australian 200m record of 20.04 seconds and multiple wind-assisted sub-20 performances have drawn inevitable comparisons to sprinting legend Usain Bolt. Bolt dominated the Ostrava track in 2008, setting a 19.83 meet record before winning his first Olympic gold in Beijing.
Interestingly, Bolt’s own journey in Ostrava began at a similar age. At 17, the Jamaican planned to compete at the 2004 meet but withdrew after suffering an injury before the event. By 19, he had clocked a 20.28s there, and by 21, he left a lasting mark with his blistering 19.83s. Gout acknowledged the significance of treading the same path.
“I’ve heard that a lot of sprinters run really well here. I know Usain Bolt ran here nine times, so the event has a great tradition,” Gout said.
“Who doesn’t want to be Usain Bolt? Being compared to him feels great, but I would like to put my personality in the upcoming story.”
This week’s 200m event will be a formidable test for the Australian teenager. The field includes Cuba’s Reynier Mena, a Diamond League winner in Oslo and Stockholm this season with a 2024 best of 20.05s, and Britain’s Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, an Olympic 4x100m relay bronze medallist.
Since concluding his Australian season in April, Gout has focused on refining his start and building strength ahead of his European campaign.
“I’m looking forward to going out on Tuesday, seeing how my training has been, how I have improved,” he said.
“I know there’s going to be a good crowd, so I hope to have some fun.”
