Australian schoolboy sets world-leading 200m time

Australia's Gout Gout poses with the time clock after winning the men's 200m final at the Queensland State Championships in Brisbane on 16 March 2025. Photo: AFP

Australian sprinting sensation Gout Gout made headlines again on Sunday by clocking the fastest men's 200m time in the world this year. The 17-year-old described his race as feeling "literally free" after securing the top spot.

Gout first garnered widespread attention in December when he recorded the fastest time ever by a 16-year-old, surpassing Usain Bolt's personal best at that age. His 20.04 seconds also broke Peter Norman's longstanding Australian record of 20.06 from the 1968 Olympics.

On 16 March 2025, Gout impressed once again at the Queensland State Championships, running a 20.05 in the heats, which was the fastest 200m of the year globally. He followed up with a 19.98 in the final, though it was wind-assisted and thus not legally recognised.

"I felt literally free. With 80 metres left, I just thought, let's send it," he said of the final. "Only then did I believe I had a chance to break the 20-second barrier."

Gout expressed surprise and relief upon seeing the clock, adding, "It felt like a weight off my shoulders. Now that I've done it, I just need to keep doing it consistently."

The tall sprinter, born in Australia to South Sudanese parents, has drawn comparisons with legendary Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt. World Athletics President Sebastian Coe recently praised Gout as a rare talent, emphasising the need for his development to be carefully managed.

Gout has already surpassed the qualifying mark for this year's World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, set at 20.16 seconds, having now broken it twice.