Sprint legend Usain Bolt has advised young Australian sprint sensation Gout Gout to remain grounded and maintain a strong support system as his rapid rise in athletics attracts global attention.
Gout, 18, recently defended his 200m title at the Australian Athletics Championships on April 12, clocking an impressive 19.67 seconds. The performance saw him surpass the world under-20 record of 19.69 held by USA sprinter Erriyon Knighton and even better Bolt’s own teenage best of 19.93 recorded in 2004.
He also secured the under-20 100m title and previously dipped under the 20-second barrier with a wind-assisted 19.84. In 2024, he set a record as the fastest 16-year-old over 200m with a time of 20.04.
Speaking to CNN, Bolt reflected on the pressures young athletes face, saying distractions can easily derail promising careers.
“At that young age, because I was there, you start getting put left and right and then you forget track and field,” Bolt said. “Hopefully he has the right set of people to guide him and keep him focused on track and field because the rest will always be there.”
He added that success on the track must remain the priority, warning that losing focus could undo years of hard work.
“If you mess up on track and field, then it all goes away,” he cautioned.
Gout is scheduled to make his Diamond League debut in the 200m in Oslo on June 10. However, he has indicated he may skip the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow to concentrate on the World Under-20 Championships in Oregon in August.
The young sprinter’s rapid rise has drawn comparisons to Bolt’s early career, with the Jamaican legend previously describing him as resembling a “young me.”
