Gout Gout's most expensive buy says a lot about him as he makes admission
Gout Gout has shown remarkable restraint with his finances despite his rapid rise in the athletics world at the age of just 17. Hailing from Queensland, Australia, where he was born two years after his parents fled South Sudan, Gout Gout quickly developed a passion for sports.
Initially an enthusiastic footballer, he soon shifted focus to sprinting, excelling particularly in the 100m and 200m events. Gout Gout first made waves at 15 when he shattered the Australian U18 men's 200m record, clocking in at 20.87 seconds during the Australian Junior Athletics Championships.
But it was in December 2024 that he truly stunned the world. The young athlete blazed through the 200m final of the Australian All Schools Athletics Championship in 20.04 seconds, securing the second-fastest U18 time ever recorded, surpassing Usain Bolt's record in the same age bracket and breaking the Australian and Oceanian record previously held by Peter Norman since 1968.
Despite the potential for newfound wealth to turn heads, Gout Gout has stayed grounded. In a candid chat with GQ, he revealed he has been modest with his spending, explaining: "I've saved a lot and I bought myself a new car when I got my Ps, so that's probably the biggest purchase I've made so far. I haven't gone crazy."
Showing his true colours, he also shared his commitment to looking after his loved ones, adding: "Long term, I'd like to set myself up and set my family up."
While he may be a few years off from Olympic glory, Gout Gout has already made waves in athletics, grabbing silver in the 200m at the 2024 World Championships in Lima and securing fifth in the 4x100m relay at the same event. On top of his international exploits, the youngster has dominated domestically, winning the U20 100m and the 200m at this year's Australian Athletics Championships with blistering times of 9.99 and 19.84 seconds, respectively.
His striking achievements at a tender age have led to comparisons with the legendary Bolt, who captured eight Olympic golds and another eleven at World Championships during his own career. Embracing high aspirations, Gout Gout told FOX Sports Australia about his ambition to emulate Bolt's incredible dominance.
He said: "The limit is just obviously winning Olympics and winning World Championships, and honestly dominating like Bolt did. I think that's a limit that's reachable for me."
Although comparisons with Bolt have been frequent, the athlete expressed feelings of mild irritation at constantly being likened to the sprinting giant. Speaking to Nine last year, he said: "My stride length is pretty long, my knee height is pretty high and just the amount of tallness I get when I'm running.
"I'm just me trying to be me. Obviously, I do run like him. I do sometimes look like him, but obviously, I'm making a name for myself, and I think I've done that pretty well. I just want to continue doing that and continue to be not only Usain Bolt but continue to be Gout Gout."
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