Teen sprinter Gout Gout set for World Championships debut in Tokyo

MELBOURNE: Teenage sprint sensation Gout Gout has been officially named in Australia’s team for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo this September, where he will compete in the men’s 200 metres.

The 17-year-old, whose parents immigrated from South Sudan, announced himself on the national stage with a blistering, wind-assisted 19.84-second run in Perth earlier this month — a performance that not only earned him his first senior national title but also drew early comparisons with sprinting legend Usain Bolt.

“I’m super excited to be picked to run the 200 in Tokyo at the World Championships,” Gout said. “That’s what we’ve been aiming for. I’m looking forward to September and seeing what I can do against the best of the best.”

Hailing from Queensland, Gout leads a new wave of Australian athletics talent. He’ll be joined by fellow teen prodigy Cameron Myers, who won the national 1,500m title in Perth and earlier this year became the fastest under-20 indoor miler in history with a 3:47.48 at the Millrose Games.

Also named in the squad is high jump star Eleanor Patterson, a former world champion and Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist, along with middle-distance ace Peter Bol, who returns to Tokyo in strong form after smashing the national 800m record in Perth with a time of 1:43.79.

With the Brisbane 2032 Olympics on the horizon, Australia’s youthful track and field lineup is already giving fans plenty to cheer about.(Reuters)