Teenage athletics star Gout Gout, who broke one of Australia’s most famous records at the Australian All Schools Championships in Brisbane on Saturday, had his day ruined by nasty online comments.
Just 24 hours after achieving a wind-assisted time of 10.04 seconds in his 100m heat, the Ipswich product once again crushed his competition at the Australian All Schools Athletics Championships.
The wind was once again blowing in the teenager’s favor and he never seemed to miss his 200 meter heat with a blistering time of 20.38.
Usain Bolt holds the world record for the 200 meters with a time of 19.19 seconds.
‘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.
Teenage track star Gout Gout has had his day somewhat ruined by nasty online comments
Gout Gout has been dominant at the Queensland Sports and Athletics Center in Brisbane
“These are adult times and I, just a child, am leading them, so it will definitely be a great future.”
However, the young man’s achievements have been ruined after dozens of comments objected to him referring to Gout as “Australian”.
The son of a couple who moved to Australia from South Sudan, Gout was born and raised in Australia.
“If this guy is Australian, then I’m Saint Nicholas,” one X user posted.
“He’s not Australian,” claimed another.
“Being born here certainly doesn’t make you Australian. You’re a bit simple if you think it’s Australian. Yes,” said a third.
Many other X users were dismayed by the comments.
‘The responses to this are disgusting. “Gout Gout was born here and never lived overseas, he’s Australian and this should be celebrated,” one fan posted.
He claimed victory in his 200-meter heat on Saturday after sweeping the 100 meters the day before.
The 16-year-old ran an impressive 10.04 in his 100m final (pictured)
He is Australian and was born here. He also has an Australian accent. “Probably more Australian than a lot of people in the country,” a second responded.
‘What an absolute weapon. Australian Australian Australian!!!!’ posted another.
As his profile rises, Gout knows he’s the center of attention most places he goes.
Constant comparisons to Jamaican sports great Usain Bolt would be intimidating for many teenagers, but not for the confident student from suburban Brisbane.
Gout is happy to take it slow, literally, and see how far the sport takes him.
Already sponsored by Adidas, Gout finished second in the 200m final at the World Under-20 Championships in Lima in August.
The driver was competing with athletes up to two years older and tore through the track to record a skillful time of 20.60.
Gout is also convinced that he will eventually be able to break the elusive 10-second barrier.
As his profile rises, Gout knows he’s the center of attention most places he goes (pictured, after bombing the field to win the 100m final).
The last Australia to do so was Patrick Johnson in 2003, who clocked 9.93 at a meet in Japan.
The drop has stated that a sub 10 time will “definitely happen” and given that he has started to break Olympic icon Bolt’s youth records, it’s hard to argue with that.
His coach Di Sheppard, who discovered him when Gout was a seventh-grader, is just as confident.
“We talk about it because for us it is a fact (that it breaks the 10 seconds),” he told News Corp.
“When it happens, it happens, and it could happen early… because everything is happening sooner than we expected.”
Come the Brisbane Olympics in 2032, Gout will be 24 and Sheppard believes he can run the 100m and 200m double on the world’s biggest stage.
When it comes to Bolt, Gout is determined to be himself, but given their similar style on the track, he knows comparisons are inevitable.
In January, Gout and Sheppard will travel to the US for a training stint with Orlando-based Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles.
The main goal will be to see Lyles in person and learn how to deal with the considerable hype that will surely follow in the coming years.
Australia had its iconic Cathy Freeman moment at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, when the Indigenous star won the 400m final. What price does history repeat itself with gout in Brisbane in 2032?