- Scorched across the track in 20.10 seconds
- Comfortably won the under-23s 200m final
- Teenager will be back at school on Monday
The remarkable Gout Gout story speeds on, with the Australian wonder teen producing another blistering performance to further his European track education in Monaco.
Taking part in an invitation 200 metres at the prestigious Diamond League meeting at the Stade Louis II in the Principality during his school holidays on Friday, the teenage Australian phenomenon raced away to another striking win in 20.10 seconds into a headwind.
The Queenslander, 17, who had enjoyed a remarkable European debut when he clocked an Australian record of 20.02 in the Czech town of Ostrava just over two weeks ago, may have challenged the 20sec barrier again if not disadvantaged by the 1.9m/sec wind in his face.
But he was delighted to maintain his European unbeaten record as he sped away off the bend to leave South African Naeem Jack (20.42) and Botswana’s Busang Collen Kebinatshipi (20.28) trailing in his wake.
‘My top-end speed is my secret, so I’ve just got to focus on the first 100, first 50, and once I get out of that bend, I know I can run people down,’ Gout beamed afterwards.
‘So stay relaxed, stay focused, and just power through.’
The remarkable Gout Gout story speeds on, with the Australian wonder teen producing another blistering performance to further his European track education in Monaco (pictured, after winning the under-23 men’s 200m final)
The Queenslander sped away off the bend to leave South African Naeem Jack (20.42) and Botswana’s Busang Collen Kebinatshipi (20.28) trailing in his wake
The youngster will now head back to school in Queensland after his enjoyable first experience of top European meetings in good spirits, with his first trip to a senior world championships in Japan in September very much still on track.
‘I am pretty satisfied, I just got told that it was into a headwind. I ran pretty decent, so I am happy with that,’ he shrugged.
‘I haven’t competed much this season since I have to go to school, I will be back on Monday. During the holidays is the time to compete for me.’
This was Gout’s first taste of the atmosphere at a big Diamond League meeting, one of the most high-profile on the circuit, but he had no intention of making his debut in the League 200m race, which was won by Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles in a sizzling 19.88, also into a slightly less strong 0.8m/sec headwind.
‘I didn’t compete in the main race because I just want to slowly get used to it, there is no point putting me in big races when I am running at the World Championships,’ explained the youngster.
‘The goal now is to go out there and have a little bit of fun.’
Gout’s run was just one of another series of impressive outings by Australian athletes, as Jess Hull and Peter Bol both shattered national records.
Twelve months to the day since breaking the 2000m world record at the same meeting, Olympic metric mile silver medallist Hull finished third in the 1000m behind Kenyan Nelly Chepchirchir (2:29.77) in 2:30.96, beating the previous national mark by two seconds.
In one of the fastest 800m races in Diamond League history, Bol was fourth in 1:42.55, improving his own Australian record by more than a second, as Kenyan Emmanuel Wanyonyi clocked a world-leading time of 1:41.44.
‘I’m resilient, I’ve always been,’ Bol said post race.
I’ve overcome a lot over the last few years, they were pretty bad for me, but I’m back and I’m better. An Australian record? I can’t be any happier.’
