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Just one day after recording the fourth fastest under-18 100m time in history, 16-year-old sprint phenom Gout Gout smashed Australia's long-standing men's 200m record.
Peter Norman's 200m national record of 20.06 seconds had remained since the 1968 Olympics, making it the country's longest record, but Gout ran 20.04 seconds in the 200m final at the All-Schools Championships in Brisbane on Saturday, setting a new standard after 56 years.
The four leading sprinters were relatively even toward the end of the curve, but Gout hit his incredible maximum speed entering the straight and left all challengers in his behind.
Gout is now the fastest 16-year-old in history over 200m, the second fastest under-18 200m time, and the new Oceania 200m record, according to World Athletics.
"These are grownup times, and I, a youngster, am ruling them. Gout told Athletics Australia that the future would undoubtedly be bright.
"I didn't anticipate it to be so quick, but I believe I ran Australia's fastest time in the 200. I've been pursuing that record, but I didn't believe it would happen this year. I figured maybe next year or the year after."
Gout made his debut in 2022, running the 100 metres in 10.57 seconds as a 14-year-old. Over the previous two years, the Australian, who turns 17 in late December, has been compared to sprinting legend Usain Bolt.
He gained even more attention in August when he ran 20.60 seconds in the 200m in the 2024 World Athletics U20 Championships, 0.01 seconds quicker than a 15-year-old Bolt in 2002, the previous record.
"My video became viral soon before World Juniors, which added pressure. But, as they say, pressure creates diamonds, and I suppose I'm better than a diamond right now," Gout said.
"We just take small steps; I beat my personal best by 0.01 and 0.02." Chasing that huge sub-20 will be amazing, but I'm not expecting too much.
"Right now, I can't digest it. I suppose tonight, when I go to bed and think about it, it will be really insane. I have always done what I stated I would do. If I mentioned anything, it is on my mind, and I will pursue it until I complete it."
Norman's 20.06 seconds gave him a surprising silver medal in the 200m final at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, but the event is most remembered for what transpired later.
Black American sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos won gold and bronze, respectively, then raised one fist on the podium in the now-iconic Black Power salute, a protest against segregation and prejudice in their home country.
Norman placed a patch on his left breast that stated "Olympic Project for Human Rights," an organization founded a year ago to combat racism in sports.
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