18-year-old sprinter Gout Gout crushes 200-meter record previously held by Usain Bolt

18-year-old sprinter Gout Gout crushes 200-meter record previously held by Usain Bolt originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Move over, Usain Bolt—there is a new record-holder in town.

18-year-old Gout Gout set the world under-20 record in the 200 meters, beating the mark Bolt had set back in 2004. Gout ran a blistering 19.67 seconds, lowering the previous record by 0.26 seconds.

The Australian sprinter has been viewed as a rising talent for several years, but breaking a record held by Bolt is expected to significantly elevate his profile. Attention now shifts toward the 2028 Olympics, where he will aim to continue developing into a contender on the global stage.

Here is more on Gout Gout breaking the U20 200m record.

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Which one of Usain Bolt's records did Gout Gout break?

Gout Gout now holds the U20 record in the 200m sprint. He finished in 19.67 seconds, surpassing the old time by .26 seconds.

To be clear, Bolt still holds the overall 200m record. He ran that event in 2009 in 19.19 seconds. Gout Gout's 19.67-second time is blazing fast and a record for sprinters under 20 years old. For a reference point, when Bolt was 20, he ran the event in 19.93 seconds, which had been the record for 22 years.

Who is Gout Gout?

Gout Gout is an Australian sprinter. He was born in Ipswich, Queensland and is one of seven kids. Both of his parents are from South Sudan, but they moved to Egypt and then Australia two years before he was born. Interestingly, their last name was misspelled when they moved from Egypt to Australia; it was originally Guot, but they have now stuck with Gout.

Gout Gout is adding this record to his collection. Despite his age, this is the third record he holds, though his other records aren't world records but are just national records. Gout Gout also holds the Australian U16 records for the 100 and 200 m. He ran a 10.57 in the 100m when he was 14.

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How old is Gout Gout?

Gout Gout was born on December 29, 2007 and is currently 18 years old. The next Summer Olympics will be held in 2028, when he will be 20, and with this performance, all eyes will be on him.

Which records does Usain Bolt still hold?

While Bolt loses that sprinting record, he has others that he has achieved in his career. Here's a look at Bolt's remaining two world records.