Australian sprint sensation Gout Gout has made headlines by achieving the fastest 200-meter time in the world this year. At the Queensland State Championships, the 17-year-old sprinter clocked a remarkable 20.05 seconds in the heats, which is the quickest time globally in 2025. This performance not only solidified his position as a leading sprinter but also marked a significant improvement over the previous year’s best time of 20.13 seconds.
In the final race, Gout further astonished the crowd by breaking the 20-second barrier with a wind-assisted time of 19.98 seconds. Although this achievement will not be officially recognized due to the strong wind conditions (+3.6 m/s), it marks a historic moment as the first Australian to dip below the 20-second mark.
Gout’s rise to prominence began in December when he set the fastest 200-meter time ever recorded by a 16-year-old, surpassing Usain Bolt’s personal best at the same age and breaking Peter Norman’s Australian record of 20.06 seconds from the 1968 Olympics. His performances have drawn comparisons with Bolt, and he is now considered one of the most exciting talents in sprinting.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe has highlighted Gout as a rare talent who requires nurturing and protection to reach his full potential. With the qualifying mark for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo set at 20.16 seconds, Gout has already exceeded this threshold twice, positioning him strongly for future competitions.