Gout Eyes Sub-10 Run as He Targets Olympic Champion Noah Lyles
Australian sprinter Gout has set his sights on a historic sub-10-second 100m run, expressing confidence that it is just a matter of time before he achieves the feat. The 18-year-old, who recently competed in the U20s final of the 100m at the Australian Athletics Junior Championships in Brisbane, clocked a time of 10.21 seconds (+0.3 m/s) during the event.
This performance fell short of his personal best of 10.00 seconds, which he achieved earlier this year at the same venue, the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre (QSAC). Despite not meeting his own high standards, Gout remains optimistic about breaking the 10-second barrier.
“I reckon I will be racing him soon,” Gout said, referring to reigning Olympic 100m champion and US superstar Noah Lyles. “It definitely means a lot, knowing I can go up against the Olympic champion and multi-time world champion.”
Gout’s ambitions extend beyond just achieving a sub-10 run; he is also eager to compete against Lyles, who is also a four-time world champion in the 200m. A 150m showdown between the two athletes is reportedly scheduled for the Ostrava Golden Spike meet on June 16 in the Czech Republic.
“I definitely feel great and it will definitely push me along,” Gout added. “I will definitely up my game for sure versing the best guy in the world right now.”
Gout has trained with Lyles and plans to continue doing so. He is set to join Lyles for a training camp in America before heading to Europe for a series of races.
While admitting his performances at the championships were “nothing world class,” Gout remains confident that a sub-10 run is imminent.
“One hundred per cent,” he said. “I have done 10-flat in my season opener and that race was a bit rocky. Time will tell obviously but I am pretty sure that is coming soon.”
After running 10.19 seconds (+0.3 m/s) in the heats on Friday, Gout acknowledged that his start was not optimal in the final.
“I didn’t have the best start. I came out for the ‘w’ pretty much and put on a show for the people watching,” he said.
Put on a show he did, waving to the crowd 15m out from the finish line as he hit the front. Gout believes that creating excitement and engagement can help improve performance.
“The more of a show there is the more people are going to come and watch,” he said. “The more people, the more pressure there is. The more pressure, the faster you run. I love putting on a show.”
Breaking Records and Setting New Goals
Last week, Gout made history by running 19.67 seconds at the national athletics championships at Sydney Olympic Park, becoming the first Australian to legally break the 20-second mark over 200m. He also surpassed the U20 time of Jamaican legend Usain Bolt, who set a record of 19.93 seconds in 2004.
“After that race, I came back home and got back to the drawing board of course,” Gout said. “Obviously, it took a little bit out of me mentally and physically because I have never run that fast before, but I definitely came back and did recovery this week and straightened out pretty much.”
Following Saturday’s race, Gout was presented with the Australian Athletics junior male athlete of the year award. His coach, Di Sheppard, was also recognized as the national pathways coach of the year.
“We are the odd couple. We are definitely different in every aspect from the eye,” Gout said. “But mentally, we definitely link up a lot. We have a lot in common when it comes to sport and the way we think.”
Sheppard’s contributions to coaching multiple athletes, including Gout, have been widely acknowledged. “She has been up and around here today coaching so many different athletes, including myself, so she deserves it for sure,” Gout added.
