- Norman held the 200 meter record for 56 years
- He won the silver medal at the 1968 Olympic Games.
- Gout Gout broke long-standing record over the weekend
Peter Norman’s family isn’t sad that their old 200m record has been broken by rising teen sensation Gout Gout, and instead they are giving the 16-year-old an important message.
Gout Gout, who has been compared to world record holder Usain Bolt of the same age, broke Norman’s record in the 200 meters at the Australian Schools Athletics Championships in Brisbane on Saturday.
Norman was a silver medalist in the 200 meters at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, setting an Australian record of 20.06 seconds.
He is widely remembered for standing in solidarity with Tommie Smith and John Carlos during their Black Power salute on the medal podium wearing a human rights badge.
Norman’s career also included multiple national championships in the 200 meters and 100 meters.
However, Norman’s 200m national record set 56 years ago was broken over the weekend with Gout Gout posting a stunning time of 20.04 seconds, surpassing Norman’s previous record.
Gout Gout, 16, broke Norman’s old record in the 200 meters at the Australian Schools Athletics Championships in Brisbane.
Norman (left) goes for the silver medal at the Mexico City games, where he set a record that stood for 56 years until Gout Gout broke it.
Gout Gout has been compared to world record holder Usain Bolt when he was the same age.
Now, Norman’s surviving family members have taken to social media to praise Gout Gout for his efforts, including Norman’s daughter Sandy.
“Congratulations Gout Gout from one of Peter Norman’s daughters and the rest of our family,” she posted.
“Dad would have loved this.”
Norman’s nephew Matt also praised Gout Gout for his storied career.
“Today is one of the proudest moments of my life,” Norman said.
‘The Australian Gout The Gout has just broken my uncle Peter Norman’s record, which has stood since 1968. I am writing to him personally to congratulate him. Wow, what a star.”
Before Saturday’s incredible streak, Gout already held the national under-16, under-18 and under-20 records.
Now that he has the open standard, he has bigger goals in mind, like a world-class sub-20 second for the 200 meters and sub-10 seconds for the 100 meters.
Norman stood on the podium when American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos protested racial discrimination at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics.
Gout Gout celebrates his recent success with his mother after breaking the 200 meter record.
‘It’s definitely great. I’ve been chasing that record,” Gout said.
‘It’s pretty crazy. I can’t process it right now, but tonight when I go to bed and think about it, it’s bound to be crazy.
“These are adult times and I, just a child, am leading them, so it will definitely be a great future.”
Athletics Australia high performance general manager Andrew Faichney said there was no limit to what Gout Gout could achieve.
“He is a great talent and is being well looked after by his coach Di Sheppard, as well as our high performance system,” Faichney said in a statement.
‘His silver medal at the U20 World Championships already showed us that he has what it takes to compete internationally.
“The world is his oysters and we look forward to seeing what he can do in the coming years as he makes his mark on his first senior teams.”
Gout, who has been compared to Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt when he was the same age, reveled in all the hype.
‘I’ve been getting pressure. “My video went viral right before the world junior championship,” Gout said on Saturday.
You know what they say: pressure makes diamonds. I’m better than a diamond right now.’