Ipswich 15-year-old Gout Gout has underlined his enormous potential after breaking 21 seconds for the 200 metres at the Australian Junior Athletics Championships in Brisbane.
Competing in the under-18 men's final on Saturday, Gout ran a remarkable time of 20.87 seconds into a slight headwind to set a national record for the age group.
His effort was 0.03 under the previous record jointly held by Darren Clark, Paul Greene and Zane Branco.
Clark — a two-time Olympic finalist over 400m — was 17 when he set the record, while fellow Olympian Greene equalled the mark as a 16-year-old.
Gout only turned 15 last December.
"It means a lot because I've been training so much for this," Gout said.
"I was really nervous. The gun went, and I was good and I just kept pushing."
Gout's performance in Brisbane has attracted attention overseas, with the sport's international governing body World Athletics describing the teenager as a "rising star".
Gout, whose parents emigrated to Australia from South Sudan two years before he was born in Brisbane, already holds the Australian under-16 100m and 200m records.
He attends Ipswich Grammar and is coached by Di Sheppard.
"Di is the best coach ever, I love her, and my training group are the best supporters ever – I couldn't get here without them," Gout said.
Gout will compete in the men's under-18 100m on Sunday as the national junior titles continue.
