The records keep falling for Gout Gout after the 17-year-old sprint sensation announced himself on the senior international stage with a new Australian benchmark of 20.02s over 200m at the Ostrava Golden Spike meet in the Czech Republic.
Gout remains on course to go sub-20s as he bettered his own national record in a field stacked with high-quality sprinters, chasing down and then roaring past Reynier Mena over the final 20m to cross the line 0.17s ahead of the Cuban, with Briton Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake third.
The 17-year-old has drawn comparisons with Usain Bolt, and his latest victory comes at the same meet where the Jamaican great also ran as a teenager.
“I’ve felt stronger in training these last couple of months and I’ve felt good since I got to Europe last Thursday,” said Gout, who rose to joint sixth on the world Under-20 200m all-time list.
“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. Another national record. Pretty happy with that, it’s not a bad first up in Europe.”
The meet in Ostrava is part of a carefully-curated programme for Gout which will culminate at September’s world championships; the Queensland teenager’s place in the team has already been confirmed.
On a strong night for Australia in Europe, Cam Myers was also in record-breaking form, the 18-year-old bettering his own national Under-20 1500m mark by nearly three seconds.
Myers finished fourth to move to third on the all-time Australian list, just 0.39s behind current record holder Ollie Hoare.
“My fastest races the last two years have been miles. It’s a coincidence but it’s really good to have a fast 1500m and I’m really pleased to get a PB and my first time under 3:30,” Myers said.
“All 1500s in Europe are loaded right now and a lot of good guys are getting on it. It’s pretty good fun to be honest. My next race is in Eugene at the Prefontaine Mile. As always, that will be a great race so I’m really looking forward to it.”
Peter Bol went close to breaking his own 800m national record with victory in a time of 1:43.80 – just 0.01s off the benchmark he set at the Australian championships in April – while Australia’s fastest woman Torrie Lewis finished sixth in the 100m.
In the field events, Kurtis Marschall came third in the men’s pole vault with a jump of 5.82m, behind world champion Mondo Duplantis and Emmanouil Karalis.