Gout Gout Celebrates 18th Birthday Marking New Chapter in Sprinting Career
On December 28, 2025, Gout Gout turned 18, marking the end of his childhood and the start of a faster phase in his sprinting career as Australia's fastest man.
In 2025, he claimed his first national title and reached the semi-finals of his first senior world championships. He recorded sub-10-second times in the 100m and sub-20-second times in the 200m, although some performances were wind-assisted and thus not officially recognized.
Gout's personal best for the 200m stands at 20.02 seconds, set in Ostrava in June 2025 during his first senior overseas meet. This time makes him the fifth-fastest 17-year-old ever in the 200m, with only athletes like Knighton and Bolt having faster legal wind times before age 18.
At the Perth national championships in April, he ran a 19.84-second 200m with a tailwind of 2.2 m/s, exceeding the legal limit; Knighton also recorded the same time in calm wind conditions.
Off the track, Gout Gout achieved a significant personal milestone by purchasing a newly built home near western Brisbane for himself and his family.
Looking ahead to 2026, he plans to take a gap year to concentrate on training under the guidance of coach Di Sheppard and manager James Templeton before attending university.
His 2026 competitive goals include the World Junior Championships in Eugene in August and the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. His schedule may also feature Queensland titles, the Maurie Plant meet in March, and national championships in Sydney in April, with a focus on both the 100m and his preferred 200m races.
He aims to dedicate more time to track and gym training, improving his race starts and adopting a more relaxed racing strategy while managing growing public attention.
