Gout Gout continued his meteoric rise on the international stage with another stunning performance, smashing his own Australian 200m record with a time of 20.02 seconds at the Ostrava Golden Spike meet in the Czech Republic. The 17-year-old sprint prodigy delivered the standout run of the night, storming past Reynier Mena in the final stretch to secure a commanding victory and solidify his place among the world’s most promising young athletes.
The Queenslander’s composure and strength were evident as he surged down the straight, overtaking the Cuban sprinter with 20 metres to go and crossing the line 0.17 seconds ahead. British athlete Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake rounded out the top three. Gout’s performance, his first on the senior European circuit, elevated him to joint sixth on the world Under-20 all-time list for the 200m.
The race was part of a carefully planned lead-up to the world championships in September, where Gout is already confirmed to compete. He has been in strong form throughout the year, and this performance underlined his growing maturity and ability to compete with seasoned professionals. Known for his powerful finishes, he once again demonstrated that his second-half surge is one of the best in the world for his age group.
Reflecting on his run, Gout expressed confidence in his strategy, noting he anticipated a strong start from Mena but trusted his ability to close hard in the latter stages. His latest success has drawn comparisons to legendary sprinter Usain Bolt, who also competed at Ostrava as a teenager, adding a layer of symbolism to Gout’s breakout performance on European soil.
Australia’s rising stars continued to shine across the meet. Nineteen-year-old Cam Myers delivered another impressive display in the 1500m, shattering his own national Under-20 record by nearly three seconds. Finishing fourth, Myers clocked his first sub-3:30 performance and climbed to third on the Australian all-time list, narrowly missing Ollie Hoare’s national mark by just 0.39 seconds.
Peter Bol also turned in a strong showing, narrowly missing his own national 800m record by just 0.01 seconds. Clocking 1:43.80, he secured a convincing win, underscoring his consistent form throughout the season.
Elsewhere, Australia’s fastest woman, Torrie Lewis, placed sixth in the 100m, while in the field events, pole vaulter Kurtis Marschall took third place with a clearance of 5.82m, finishing behind world champion Mondo Duplantis and Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis.
The meet was a clear statement of intent from Australia’s new generation of athletes, with Gout, Myers, and Bol all pushing the national and global standard forward.
