Teen sprinter Gout Gout breaks Usain Bolt record, wins Australian 200m title

Australian sprinter Gout Gout has produced a breakthrough performance at the national championships in Sydney, winning the 200m in 19.67 seconds and setting a new world U20 best.

The 18-year-old became the first junior athlete to legally dip under the 20-second barrier, improving on his previous wind-assisted 19.84. His run also stands as the fastest time recorded globally this year.

The performance moves beyond the teenage benchmark previously associated with Usain Bolt, who ran 19.93 in 2004 at age 17. That mark remained his fastest as a junior before his senior career established multiple world records.

Gout had already signaled his progression last year, recording 20.06 at age 16, a time that ranked him among the fastest ever at that age group.

Behind him in the same race, fellow Australian Aidan Murphy finished second in 19.88, marking a rare occasion where two athletes broke 20 seconds in the same race.

American sprinter Erriyon Knighton still holds the quickest under-20 time ever recorded at 19.49 (unratified as a world U20 record), with his recognised 19.69 from 2022 remaining a key reference point in junior sprint history.

Speaking after the race, Gout said the result reflected both personal relief and competition-driven improvement among Australian sprinters.

He indicated he will not compete at the upcoming Commonwealth Games, scheduled for July 23, choosing instead to prepare for the World Athletics U20 Championships in Oregon in early August.