- The Age newspaper got into trouble
- Post apologizes for embarrassing mistake
Teenage sprint sensation Gout Gout has quickly become one of the most recognizable faces in Australian athletics, but that hasn’t stopped a prominent newspaper from making a glaring mistake.
The Age newspaper apologized for confusing gout with fellow Australian athlete Peter Bol on Sunday.
The publication ran an article about Gout’s new deal with Adidas, but used a photo of Bol instead of the young man on the top right of the issue’s cover.
Sports fans quickly realized the error and took to social media to report it.
Channel Seven’s Jason Richardson posted an image of the cover on X along with the comment: “Ummm, that’s Pete Bol.”
Another user responded: ‘What a shame.’
The Age newspaper apologized for confusing Gout Gout with fellow Australian athlete Peter Bol over the weekend (above right)
Gout Gout dominated at the recent Australian All Schools Athletics Championships in Brisbane, establishing himself as the country’s best prospect in years.
Journalist Caleb Bond posted: ‘Wow. Shameful racism from The Age.’
In a statement, Nine apologized for the error.
“We sincerely apologize to Peter Bol and Gout Gout for the mistake made in cropping a photo in which both athletes appear,” the statement said.
“A correction and apology will appear in tomorrow’s (Tuesday) newspaper, and the incorrect photo will be removed from the online edition of the Sunday Age.”
The 16-year-old broke Peter Norman’s 56-year-old record at the Australian All Schools Athletics Championships in the 200m final last weekend, clocking a blistering time of 20.04.
He also recorded a wind-assisted time of 10.04 seconds in his 100 meter heat, which was the fifth-fastest time ever by an Australian in all conditions.
Since then, gout has become the name on everyone’s lips, with former track star turned TV identity Matt Shirvington suggesting the prodigy has more potential than Olympic legend Usain Bolt.
Usain Bolt himself responded to the hype surrounding Gout Gout, responding to a post on Jumper’s World with the simple comment: “I look young.”
Olympian Peter Bol (pictured) has returned to sport after being cleared of allegations he failed a doping test.
Marketing experts believe drop’s potential could make him one of Australia’s most marketable athletes, especially with the Brisbane Olympics on the horizon.
The $6 million Adidas deal includes a base salary and incentives for breaking records and achieving podium finishes.
‘The real value comes when corporate brands outside of athletics get involved. That’s where the big money is,” said sports business expert Paul Smith.
The signing comes at a time when athletics is looking for stars to captivate global audiences.
“Gout has already brought enormous publicity to the sport,” Templeton said.
Videos of their performances have gone viral and one of them has garnered more than two million views.
Former Australian Olympian Patrick Johnson believes the drop has the potential to break his national 100m record of 9.93 seconds.
It has incredible potential. “The key is to let him enjoy being a kid and at the same time be the center of attention,” Johnson said.
Gout plans to compete in junior and senior events in 2025, balancing his athletic career with completing year 12.