Australian schoolboy sprinter Gout Gout says his first World Championships will be a success if he runs a personal best in the 200 metres, no matter where he finishes.
The 17-year-old, known for his long stride, has drawn comparisons to Usain Bolt after breaking the Australian 200m record and running several impressive times over the past year.
In June, he set a new personal best of 20.02 seconds in Ostrava. He said he’s excited to compete against the best athletes in the world at the National Stadium in Tokyo, where the heats begin on Wednesday.
“If I get a personal best, no matter where I finish, that’s a success,” he told reporters in Tokyo on Monday. “If I make it to the semi-finals, that’s even better. And if I reach the final, that would be amazing.”
Although this marks a big step up from last year’s World Junior Championships, Gout says he’s not intimidated. “I’ve earned my place here,” he said. “Yes, the others might be stronger, older, and more experienced, but I know I can go out there and do my thing. In the end, we’re all running 200 metres, and it’s about who’s fastest on the day.”
He hopes to eventually run both the 100m and 200m, and dreams of becoming the first Australian to run under 20 seconds in the 200m. “Running in the 19s means you’re among the top 15 or 20 in the world. That would be amazing.”
After the competition in Tokyo, Gout plans to take a short holiday before returning to school in Queensland, where he’s a straight-A student, to sit his final exams.
His cheerful personality, which has made him popular in Australia, was clear during Monday’s press conference. He chatted about his love of burgers, arguments with his siblings, and the strange experience of becoming famous so quickly. “It’s been crazy,” he said. “People have come up to me for photos—even a mum asking me to sign her baby’s forehead. It all feels surreal, but I enjoy it.”
Gout was born in southeast Queensland to parents who came to Australia as refugees from South Sudan. He believes it might have been fate that brought his family there. “There was a choice between Canada and Australia,” he said. “I think God led them to choose Queensland.”
Last week, Usain Bolt offered him advice about stepping up to the senior level. Gout says he knows he needs to be patient, but he’s not shy about wanting to follow in Bolt’s footsteps. “I want to be someone who started from nothing and became someone really great. That would be a big success for me.”
