Teenage sensation Gout Gout steals limelight at Golden Spike 2025 as Usain Bolt comparisons reemerge: 'This is quite Bolt-esque'

Australian athletics sensation Gout Gout is more substance than hype. The 17-year-old, Gout, who has often been compared to track and field legend Usain Bolt, proved it with a record-breaking performance at the Golden Spike meet in Ostrava on Tuesday. The high school runner from Australia, Gout Gout, completed the 200 meters race in just 20.02 seconds, breaking the Australian national record and bettering his record from 20.04 seconds, which he had registered at 16 in December 2024.

In fact, Gout Gout had achieved sub-20 seconds timing twice in April when he clocked 19.84 and 19.98 at the national championship at Perth, but neither of them was registered in official records as the wind was above allowable thresholds.

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Still, Gout Gout’s latest timing puts him in the top seven all-time for Under-20s. The Jamaican great Bolt is also a part of that list.

Gout Gout explains his winning mentality

Another impressive aspect of Gout’s victory was that it came in his first professional race in Europe and against the toughest field he had ever faced. While Gout Gout won the race, Cuban Reynier Mena came second with a timing of 20.19 and Briton Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake (20.60) was third.

“I don’t feel any pressure. Because as soon as I step out on that track, it’s just me by myself and what I’ve got to do — my favourite thing, and that’s to run. So, I just go out there and run and nothing stops me from doing that,” Gout Gout said while explaining his mentality during the race.

“I’ve felt stronger in training these last couple of months and I’ve felt good since I got to Europe last Thursday. I knew Mena would come hard at me the first 100 but I was confident I’d be close enough to come home strongly in the second part of the race which is of course my stronger part. I felt calm but strong as I came off the turn and was confident I’d be strong enough to get the win.

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“Another national record! Pretty happy with that, it’s not a bad first up in Europe.”

Dream European debut ✨

Watch 🇦🇺’s Gout Gout power to 20.02 in the men’s 200m at @ZlataTretra 😎

First senior race abroad ✅
First race ever in Europe ✅
First senior win abroad ✅
Breaks area record ✅ #ContinentalTourGold pic.twitter.com/6FSW00Y933

— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) June 24, 2025

Gout Gout compared to Usain Bolt, once again

Naturally, Gout Gout is once again being compared to Bolt, who is the world record holder in the 100m and 200m events and also an eight-time Olympic gold medalist.

“This is getting quite Bolt-esque. At 17, close to his 18th birthday, Bolt ran 19.93….Gout Gout’s 18th birthday is more than 6 months away…,” a global sports journalist wrote on X.

“And Gout Gout is now ahead of Usain Bolt’s split times at the same age,” an astonished fan wrote.

“Gout Gout will be the face of the Brisbane Olympics✨ He’s 17 now for those yet to come across this gifted athlete who is running at the same level as Usain Bolt at 17,” An Australian fan added.

Gout was asked about the Bolt comparisons before the Golden Spike meet and the youngster replied that while he feels great about it, he wants to script his own story.

“It definitely feels great to be compared to Bolt,” Gout said. “I’ve heard that a lot of sprinters run here really good. I know Usain Bolt ran here nine times, so the event clearly has a great tradition.

“Who doesn’t want to be Usain Bolt? Being compared to Usain Bolt feels great, but I would like to put my personality in the upcoming story.”

“The main goal of the season is obviously world championships (in Tokyo in September). Let’s see what I can do on the world stage against professional athletes. Hopefully I can run fast and perform well.”

Gout was born in Australia to South Sudanese immigrants who moved to the country in 2005.