CNN
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Australian teenage sprinting sensation Gout Gout recorded the fourth-fastest under-18 100m time in historical past on Friday, clocking in at 10.04 seconds on the All-Schools Athletics Championships in Queensland.
The run, which got here within the heats however was wind-assisted and due to this fact doesn’t rely in official data, was additionally the fourth-fastest ever by an Australian sprinter of any age.
The quickest ever under-18 time was set by US sprinter Erriyon Knighton in 2021, a wind-assisted 9.99 seconds. His compatriot Jelani Watkins and Thai sprinter Puripol Boonson occupy second and third place, having every run 10.02 in 2021 and 2023, respectively.
Later on Friday, as soon as the tailwind had dropped, Gout ran a authorized 10.17 within the last – the sixth-fastest authorized under-18 time – to beat his private better of 10.29 and the earlier Australian under-18 document of 10.27 held by Sebastian Sultana.
“I’ve been chasing this nationwide document for some time now! In the warmth, I believed I acquired it, but it surely was a loopy tailwind, so I simply did the identical factor and acquired the job finished,” mentioned Gout afterwards, per Athletics Australia.
Gout broke onto the scene in 2022 when he ran the 100m in 10.57s as a 14-year-old. The final two years have seen the Australian, who turns 17 in late December, draw comparisons to sprinting nice Usain Bolt.
He garnered even additional consideration in August when he clocked in at 20.60s within the 200m on the 2024 World Athletics U20 Championships – 0.01 seconds sooner than a 15-year-old Bolt managed in 2002, the document on the time. Gout will run within the 200m occasion on Saturday in Queensland.
With an Adidas sponsorship deal secured and excessive hopes for what he may go on to realize, Gout is already mixing with sprinting royalty.
“In January, I’m going abroad to coach with Noah Lyles and his coach Lance Brauman. Hopefully, we will qualify for the Tokyo World Championships,” he mentioned after Friday’s last. “If not, I’ll simply end my college in Year 12.”
