Gout Gout is one of Australia’s most promising young athletes – but there’s a persistent lie about him that’s damaging and dangerous.
The 17-year-old sprint star has been subjected to a wave of racist abuse after receiving a public message of support from Queensland Premier David Crisafulli.
The Premier had congratulated Gout on breaking his own national 200m record in Ostrava.
‘A Queenslander showing the world how it’s done. Congratulations on another incredible run Gout Gout,’ he posted to social media.
What should have been a celebration of sporting excellence quickly turned sour, with trolls questioning Gout’s right to be called Australian.
One of the mildest comments read: ‘Low bar to qualify as a Queenslander these days.’
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli’s tweet sparked support for Gout Gout (pictured with his mother Monica) and a wave of racist abuse
Australia’s Gout Gout celebrates with his coach Diane Sheppard after winning the men’s 200m final during the Queensland State Championships
Lachlan Kennedy of Queensland congratulates Gout Gout after another classic duel between the two rising Aussie athletes
Many of the other replies were too vile to repeat.
The backlash highlighted a sad truth: many Australians still wrongly believe Gout was born overseas.
In reality, Gout Gout was born and raised in Ipswich, Queensland.
He is Australian by birth and identity – something he should never have to justify.
Supporters rushed to his defence, flooding the replies with messages of pride and solidarity.
‘Wow, any post about Gout Gout being 100% Aussie really brings the racist/xenophobic keyboard warriors out from their caves,’ one supporter posted.
‘Been a long time since I’ve blocked so many people in a 24 hour period. Good bloody riddance, frankly.’
The outrage is not new. Gout has faced similar racist treatment in the past.
Despite being born in Ipswich, Gout Gout is wrongly assumed by many Aussies to be a foreign-born athlete
Gout’s performances at Ipswich Grammar School saw him rise as one of Australia’s fastest young sprinters
In 2024, athletics commentator Tim Rosen deleted a post featuring Gout’s run due to the hateful replies it received.
The same year, The Age newspaper confused Gout with fellow Australian runner Peter Bol on its front page, prompting an apology.
That pattern of ignorance continues to harm Gout despite his achievements making headlines around the world.
In December 2024, he broke Peter Norman’s 56-year-old 200m national record at the Australian All Schools Championships.
He claimed silver at the World U20 Championships in Lima with a 20.60-second run.
In April 2025, he ran a wind-assisted 19.84 seconds in the 200m and 9.99 seconds in the 100m at the Australian Championships.
In June 2025, he clocked 20.02 seconds at the Golden Spike meet in Ostrava – setting a new national and Oceanian record.
But those milestones are too often overshadowed by attacks based on assumptions about his heritage.
Supporters from across Australia voiced outrage at the racist backlash and rallied behind the teenage sprinter, pictured with American track and field star Grant ‘Flamingo’ Holloway
Comparisons to sprinting legend Usain Bolt continue to grow after Gout’s European debut performance
Gout’s success story began at Ipswich Grammar School.
At 12, he was spotted at an inter-house athletics carnival and handed his first pair of spikes.
Coached by Diane Sheppard, he set national under-16 records in both the 100m and 200m.
He dominated GPS championships and quickly emerged as one of the best junior sprinters in Australia.
Now, he’s being compared to Usain Bolt – with Bolt himself sending a message saying Gout ‘looks like young me.’
Gout has taken the comparisons in his stride.
‘It’s pretty cool because Usain Bolt is arguably the greatest athlete of all time… Obviously, I’m Gout Gout, so I’m trying to make a name for myself,’ he said.
‘It’s just me by myself and what I’ve got to do – my favourite thing, and that’s to run.’
