Australian sprinter, 16, betters Bolt to smash record

Australian sprinting prodigy Gout Gout clocked the fastest time ever by a 16-year-old to smash the national 200m record on Saturday and do something even Usain Bolt never achieved.

The teenager ran 20.04 seconds at the Australian All Schools Athletics Championships at his home track in Brisbane, breaking Peter Norman’s national record of 20.06 from the 1968 Olympics.

Gout has been compared in local media to Bolt and his time is the fastest ever by a 16-year-old over 200m, World Athletics said.

Gout also now holds the second-fastest time in history for athletes under the age of 18, overtaking Bolt’s 20.13.

“These are adult times and me, just a kid, I’m running them. It’s going to be a great future for sure,” said Gout, who was born in Brisbane after his parents migrated to Australia from South Sudan.

“I didn’t expect it to be that fast but I guess I ran Australia’s fastest-ever time in the 200.

“I have been chasing that record but I didn’t think it would come this year. I thought maybe next year or the year after that.”

It came a day after Gout clocked a wind-assisted 10.04 sec in the 100m to underline his rich potential.

“You know what they say,” he said on Saturday.

“Pressure makes diamonds, and I guess I’m better than a diamond right now.”

Gout will travel to the United States next month to train with Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles, broadcaster ABC said.

Gout, who will reportedly turn 17 at the end of this month, is one of seven children.

He already has an endorsement deal with Adidas.