Teen sprint sensation Gout Gout to lead Australia’s world juniors squad in Eugene

TL;DR

Gout Gout, an 18-year-old sprint sensation, will lead Australia's 75-member squad at the World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon, from August 5-9. He holds the under-20 world record in the 200 meters and aims to further lower it during the competition.

Key points

Gout Gout leads Australia's squad for the World Juniors in Eugene.
He holds the under-20 world record in the 200 meters.
Gout aims to break the 10-second barrier in the 100 meters.

Mentioned in this story

Eugene, OregonQueenslandUsain BoltErriyon Knighton

Gout GoutWorld Athletics Under-20 ChampionshipsCommonwealth Games

Gout Gout, right, waves while winning the junior 100-meter race at the Australian Athletics Junior Championship in Brisbane, Saturday, April 18, 2026. (Jono Searle/AAP Image via AP) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Star sprinter Gout Gout has already set an international record faster than Usain Bolt could produce at the Under-20 level, and now he'll get a chance to lower it when he leads Australia's 75-strong squad for world juniors in Eugene, Oregon in August. “I’m really excited to get out there at World Athletics Under 20s,” Gout said in a statement Tuesday announcing Australia's squad for the Aug. 5-9 championships. “It’s a great stadium and place to run fast, and I feel confident I’ll be ready to step up and make Australia proud.” Gout will compete in the 200 meters — he already holds the under-20 world record in that event — and he'll also be part of Australia's 4x400 relay team. The 18-year-old sprint sensation was aiming to break the 10-second barrier legally for the 100 meters at the Australian junior titles last month, but he finished just outside the mark. He said his sole reason for racing was just to confirm his spot for the world juniors. “Obviously, I didn’t have the best start, but I came out for the W (win) pretty much,” Gout said at the time. “I was waving to my family, fans and a couple of friends ... the more of a show, the more people who are going to come and watch.” The national junior championships were held a week after Gout set the under-20 world record time in the 200 that was faster than Bolt’s best at that age. He won the Australian open title in 19.67 seconds on April 12, taking 0.02 off Erriyon Knighton’s world under-20 mark of 19.69 set at Eugene, Oregon in 2022. Knighton also ran a 19.49 in 2022, which World Athletics lists as the fastest time ever by an under-20 athlete despite it not being ratified as a record. It was the first time that Gout had gone under the 20-second mark officially, after a wind-assisted 19.84 last season. Gout previously had the quickest 200 time ever by a 16-year-old, setting an Australian record of 20.06 in 2024. His time in Sydney last month was better than eight-time Olympic champion Bolt’s time of 19.93 in 2004. Bolt was 17 when setting what was then a world junior record and never bettered that time as a teenager. , who was born in Queensland state to parents from South Sudan, is skipping the July 23-Aug. 2 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in order to compete at the world juniors and to continue his plan to make an Olympic debut at Los Angeles in 2028. If his meteoric rise continues, Gout could be the face of his hometown Olympics at Brisbane in 2032. \\_ AP sports:

Q&A

What records has Gout Gout set in sprinting?

Gout Gout holds the under-20 world record in the 200 meters, having set a time of 19.67 seconds, which is faster than Usain Bolt's best at that age.

When are the World Athletics Under-20 Championships taking place?

The World Athletics Under-20 Championships will be held from August 5 to August 9, 2026, in Eugene, Oregon.

Why is Gout Gout skipping the Commonwealth Games?

Gout Gout is skipping the Commonwealth Games to focus on competing at the World Juniors and to pursue his goal of making an Olympic debut in Los Angeles in 2028.