By Şevket F. ERBAY

Everyone is talking about him. A Brisbane schoolboy who got the 'P' driving licence just recently will prepare for million in a lifetime chance: Getting gold at the home Olympics in 2032.

At the end of November 2022, video footage spread worldwide from social media. A 14-year-old boy with a "strange" name of Gout Gout was running 10.57 in the video in the Australian All-Schools Championships. It was an astonishing mark by a teenager, and it stunned everybody to see how fast he was.

A VERY OWN OF BRISSIE

Gout Gout, a 2007 Brissie-born from South Sudanese origin parents, started to be known with the Schools, and he became a nationwide celebrity in just a couple of years. Now, he is a 17-year-old promised future for the sporting-mad nation in Brisbane 2032.

"He'll be 24 on the time. Is that right? It's crazy", giggling Cathy Freeman reacted when she realized Gout's sprinting prime coincided with the 2032 Games. She explained his very best chance to thrill the world and hailed him for gifted athletic skills to her lucky commentator Bruce McAvaney, who had been on the mic in the epic 400 metres final at Sydney 2000.  

Manufacturing giant Adidas endorsed Gout Gout for an eight-year contract during the 2024 World U20 Championships in Lima, where the Australian took the silver medal in 200 metres. Some sources reported the deal was worth more than six million dollars, and there were comparisons between him and Usain Bolt, the 100 and 200 metres world record holder, after the deal. Following the lucrative agreement, Gout Gout clocked 20.04 secs and broke the 56-year-old Oceanian senior 200 metres record from Peter Norman, a mythical Aussie hero from the 1968 Olympics. That's a headliner for international media: The Next Bolt of athletics emerged in Australia officially.

COACH BELIEVE

The coach Di Shepherd has been working for Ipswich Grammar School in Brisbane since 2003 after moving there from Sydney a short ago. She began as a high jump coach, then focused on other athletic disciplines, including hurdles and sprints. She found Gout timely and started to polish him for the glory. Under her tutelage, Gout lowered his personal bests to 10.17 and 20.04 in the 100/200 sprints. And he just turned 17 at the end of the year (27 December).

Coach Shepherd, who was awarded "Coach of the Year" in Queensland, believes he'll make a stunning memory for all Australians as big as Cathy Freeman did in 2000. However, she is following a careful process with his young talents: “I tell them from day one: the rewards will come because of the journey, not in spite of it. Success is about more than medals—it’s about seeing your own progress and loving what you do along the way."

BREAKING 20 SECONDS BY WIND

Gout opens up his campaign in 2025 in Sally Pierson Shield by taking 100 metres in 10.44 and getting the early shape in March by clocking his first official sub-20 seconds in 200 metres: 19.98 in a 3.6 tailwind. It is some statement for the upcoming season, which will still be limited for the junior-level athlete.

The athletics world is curiously waiting for its next sprint sensation as current World and Olympic champion Noah Lyles hosted him on a podcast show. They trained side-by-side in Florida in January, and Lyles likes the young lad in advance. Even Usain Bolt broke his silence after Gout's 20.04 running, and "He looks like young me", he stated. He looks better than Bolt if we consider him the same age.

Two of the Olympic champions, Noah Lyles and Grant Holloway, praised him in their podcast [watch & listen here] show as they've had a lengthy chat about his bright future and changing life. It shows Gout is keen to be the greatest sprinter of history.

Gout is now off the next step to the inauguration for the big scene in Tokyo. We'll follow step by step what's next. 


Check the Channel 7's Next Usain Bolt in Youtube.