- The Age newspaper got itself in hot water
- Publication has made apology for embarrassing blunder
Teenage sprint sensation Gout Gout has quickly become one of the most recognisable faces in Aussie athletics, but that hasn’t stopped a prominent newspaper from making a glaring error.
The Age newspaper has issued an apology for mistaking Gout for his fellow Aussie athlete Peter Bol on Sunday.
The publication ran a feature story on Gout’s new deal with Adidas, but used a shot of Bol instead of the young gun at the top right of the edition’s front page.
Sports fans were quick to spot the blunder and took to social media to call it out.
Channel Seven’s Jason Richardson posted an image of the front page to X alongside the comment: ‘Ummm, that’s Pete Bol.’
Another user replied: ‘How embarrassing.’
The Age newspaper has apologised for mistaking Gout Gout for his fellow Aussie athlete Peter Bol over the weekend (top right)
Gout Gout dominated at the recent Australian All Schools Athletics Championship in Brisbane, stamping himself as the country’s hottest prospect in years
Journalist Caleb Bond posted: ‘Wow. Disgraceful racism from The Age.’
In a statement on the matter, Nine apologised for the mistake.
‘We sincerely apologise to Peter Bol and Gout Gout for the error made during the cropping of a photo featuring both athletes,’ the statement read.
‘A correction and apology will appear in tomorrow’s [Tuesday’s] newspaper, and the incorrect photo is being removed from the digital edition of the Sunday Age.’
The 16-year-old smashed Peter Norman’s 56-year Australian All Schools Athletics Championships record in the 200m final last weekend, recording a blistering time of 20.04.
He also clocked a wind-assisted time of 10.04 seconds in his 100m heat, which was the fifth fastest time by an Australian in history in all conditions.
Gout has since become the name on everyone’s lips, with former track star turned TV identity Matt Shirvington suggesting the prodigy has more potential than Olympic legend Usain Bolt.
Usain Bolt himself responded to the hype surrounding Gout Gout, replying to a post on Jumper’s World with the simple comment: ‘He looks like young me.’
Olympian Peter Bol (pictured) has mounted a comeback to the sport after being cleared of allegations that he failed a doping test
Marketing experts believe Gout’s potential could make him one of Australia’s most marketable athletes, especially with the Brisbane Olympics on the horizon.
Adidas’ $6m deal includes a base salary and incentives for breaking records and earning podium finishes.
‘The real value comes when corporate brands outside athletics get involved. That’s where the big money is,’ sports business expert Paul Smith said.
The signing comes at a time when athletics is seeking stars to captivate global audiences.
‘Gout has already brought enormous publicity to the sport,’ Templeton said.
Videos of his performances have gone viral, with one getting more than two million views.
Former Australian Olympian Patrick Johnson believes Gout has the potential to break his 100m national record of 9.93 seconds.
‘He’s got incredible potential. The key is to let him enjoy being a kid while managing the spotlight,’ Johnson said.
Gout plans to compete in both junior and senior events in 2025, balancing his athletic career with completing year 12.
