Australian sprint sensation Gout Gout was the subject of racist comments on social media after breaking one of Usain Bolt’s long-standing records on Saturday.
The 16-year-old clocked a blistering time of 20.38 seconds over 200 metres at the Australian All Schools Championships, which is quicker than Bolt was at the same age.
It came just 24 hours after Gout secured a wind-assisted time of 10.04 seconds in his 100-metre heat, solidifying his reputation as the brightest young star in athletics.
Speaking after his incredible run, Gout said: “It’s pretty crazy. Right now I can’t process it, but tonight when I go to bed and think about it it will be pretty crazy for sure.
“These are adult times and me, just a kid, I’m running them, so it’s definitely going to be a great future for sure.”
Sadly, the youngster’s achievements were spoiled by racist comments on social media as the world took notice of his incredible sprint times.
Gout, who was born in Australia and resides in the Queensland suburb of Ipswich, is the son of a couple who moved to the country from South Sudan.
Some people objected to Gout being referred to as ‘Australian’ due to his African heritage. One X (formerly Twitter) user posted: “If this guy is Australian then I’m Saint Nick.” Another said: “He is not Australian.”
A third person wrote: “Born here certainly doesn’t make him Australian. You are a bit simple if you think that he is Aussie. Ffs.”
Other users were quick to fire back at the ugly comments, with one saying: “Gout Gout was born here and never lived overseas, he’s an Aussie and this should be celebrated.”
Another wrote: “He’s Australian, he was born here. He’s got an Aussie accent as well. Probably more Australian than a lot of people in the country.”
Gout has already been tipped as a future superstar, with Adidas having invested in his potential by handing him a sponsorship deal. His coach, Di Sheppard, believes it is only a matter of time before he breaks the elusive 10-second barrier over 100 metres.
“We talk about it because to us it’s a given,” she said earlier this week. “When it happens, it happens, and it could happen early because everything’s happening sooner than we expected.”
Only time will tell what the future holds for Gout, who seemingly has the world at his feet. He could race for Australia at the next Olympics, which will be held in Los Angeles in 2028, if he keeps developing on the same trajectory.
