Sprinting sensation Gout Gout showed his class after suffering a rare loss in the 200 meters at the Maurie Plant Meet in front of a sold-out crowd in Melbourne.
Gout, 17, has been likened to Usain Bolt after breaking Pete Norman's 56-year record in the 200m sprint, but was beaten by fellow Australian sprinter, Lachlan Kennedy. Gout ran a 20.30, but Kennedy got to the line first after running a 20.26 personal best in the Peter Norman Memorial 200m final.
Despite suffering a rare loss, Gout went over to Kennedy and shared a long hug with the 21-year-old. It's an exciting time for Australian athletics, and while Gout is seen as the greatest prospect, race commentator Bruce McAvaney said: "We don’t have one — we’ve got two stars in Australian sprinting."
Gout is the Australian and Oceanian record holder in the 200 metres, with a time of 20.04 seconds set in 2024. His recent finale at the Maurie Plant Meet was his first taste of senior competition, but finishing second was still beneath the high standards he sets himself.
"People will say winning feels great, second feels bad and third feels even worse," Gout said. "So coming second is something you can experience. And it definitely puts fuel to my fire and it lights that burn."
Gout then vowed to work hard in training, highlighting one negative which has also seen him likened to Noah Lyles. Gout is often slow out of the blocks, but his speed nearer the line is hard to match and he almost caught Kennedy after gaining on him in the final 100 meters.
"So when I get into training, [I’ll] work even harder and be better for nationals," Gout added. "My closing speed is my gift, so it’s definitely just about building my first 100."
After beating Gout, Kennedy was delighted, proving the undeniable hype surrounding the young sprinter. "I’m absolutely gassed. I don’t run many twos (200m) so this is a bit different for me," Kennedy said. "I’m just happy to be here.
"Australian sprinting’s on one right now, the depth is crazy. We’ve got good runners everywhere you look. To be ahead of Gout, he’s a legend, he’ll do many great things along the way. It’s an absolute privilege to be part of this group."
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Kennedy was a member of Australia's 4x100-meter men's relay team at the 2024 Olympic Games, who set a new Oceania record of 38.12 seconds. Kennedy also holds an Australian record in the 60 meters after running 6.43 seconds.
Gout and Kennedy have also brought local fans back, as the one-day event was sold out for the first time since 2001. Kennedy said that his goal was to hold off Gout, and he even apologized after the race after acknowledging that his rival was the main attraction.
"I just wanted to give them [the crowd] a good race. It wouldn't be fun if he (Gout) just destroyed everyone," Kennedy said. "I'm sorry if it did spoil it, but what a great race, you can't be upset with that."
Gout's recent exposure has seen him land a multi-year deal with Adidas. The deal with the 17-year-old sprinter is thought to be worth over $6 million, and will run up until the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane, Australia.
