Australian teen sensation Gout Gout betters his own 200m national record
Gout Gout of Australia celebrates after winning the men's 200 metres event at the 2025 Golden Spike Ostrava athletics meet. PHOTO: EPA
OSTRAVA – Australian teenage sprinter Gout Gout said he does not feel any pressure, after crushing the 200 metres field in his first senior race abroad on June 24.
The 17-year-old improved on his own national record by two hundredths of a second to finish in 20.02 seconds at the Ostrava Golden Spike.
He ran a textbook race in his European debut at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold event in the Czech Republic, crossing the line 0.17sec ahead of Cuban Reynier Mena, while Briton Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake (20.60sec) was third.
'I feel good. New personal best, new national record in my first European race,' the Queensland schoolboy told reporters.
'I don't feel any pressure. Because as soon as I step out on that track, it's just me by myself and what I've got to do – my favourite thing, and that's to run.
'So, I just go out there and run and nothing stops me from doing that... Get some more races in me and (the 20-second barrier) will drop for sure.'
Gout has drawn comparisons to Jamaican great Usain Bolt and he made headlines in December when he broke Peter Norman's national record that had stood for 56 years in 20.04sec.
He ran a 19.84-second 200 and 9.99sec in the 100m at the Australian national championships in Perth in April but a strong tailwind rendered both illegal.
His performances were strong enough, however, to earn him a spot on Australia's team for the World Championships in Tokyo in September.
In other events, Sweden's Armand Duplantis won pole vault by clearing 6.13m before failing to get over 6.29m for what would have been a new world record nine days after setting his latest one at 6.28m.
The 25-year-old double Olympic champion was in a league of his own once again as second-placed Emmanouil Karalis of Greece did not even get close to clearing 6.02m.
'I feel pretty good about it. I can't complain too much. Overall I feel like I jumped really well,' Duplantis said.
Reigning Olympic champion Grant Holloway lost to US compatriot Dylan Beard in the 110m hurdles for the second time in four days.
Holloway only finished fifth at the Diamond League in Paris on June 20 as Beard took the second spot.
In Ostrava, Beard edged a slowing Holloway on the finish line with both clocking 13.13sec.
'This is not the way I execute the race,' Holloway said before admitting 'the time is all right'. REUTERS, AFP
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Krejcikova saves match points again to survive in Eastbourne
EASTBOURNE, England - Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova saved match points for the second successive day against a British opponent to reach the quarter-finals of the Eastbourne WTA 250 event on Wednesday. The 29-year-old Czech was troubled by a thigh strain and looked on the verge of being knocked out by Jodie Burrage when she served at 5-6 in the deciding set and fell 0-40 behind but she somehow turned it around to win 6-4 4-6 7-6(3). Second seed Krejcikova, who beat Italy's Jasmine Paolini to win last year's Wimbledon title, was leading by a set and a break of serve but needed treatment on her leg. Burrage, ranked 164th in the world, played impressively to hit back and broke Krejcikova's serve to level the match -- one point being awarded to her after a forehand from her opponent found its way through a hole in the net. The 26-year-old British player kept just ahead in the decider but she could not take any of the three match points that came her way and then a costly double-fault in the tiebreak offered up match points to Krejcikova, who made no mistake. Krejcikova, who also saved match points on Tuesday against home player Harriet Dart, has won two singles matches in a row for the first time in an injury-hit 2025. "Another tough match," Krejcikova, who also has a French Open singles crown to her name, said on court. "Brits know how to play on grass and it's hard to play against them but happy I'm through. "I was going through a difficult moment at the beginning of this year but I'm happy I'm here and can keep finding the level that I know I can reach." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Poulter and son set to go head-to-head in Open qualifying
FILE PHOTO: Golf - 150th Open Championship - St Andrews, Scotland, Britain - July 11, 2022 England's Ian Poulter during practice with his son, Luke Poulter, who is caddying for the day REUTERS/Paul Childs/File Photo Poulter and son set to go head-to-head in Open qualifying LONDON - Britain's Luke Poulter will have a very familiar rival when he attempts to qualify for the British Open for the first time next week -- his Ryder Cup-winning dad Ian. Poulter Jr, a University of Florida student, will tee it up at Royal Cinque Ports on the English Kent coast at the crack of dawn on Tuesday, a few minutes before his dad. The 21-year-old narrowly missed out in his attempt to qualify for the U.S. Open this month, losing a playoff to Austen Truslow in final qualifying. His father later revealed that he would have caddied for his son at Oakmont had he made it. Poulter Snr, 49, finished second at the 2008 Open at Royal Birkdale and was a talisman for the Europe Ryder Cup team, featuring in five winning teams. The final Open qualifying rounds are taking place across four courses with about 20 spots up for grabs for the tournament, which is at Royal Portrush from July 17-20. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Brighton owner Bloom acquires stake in Scottish club Hearts
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Brighton & Hove Albion v Newcastle United - The American Express Community Stadium, Brighton, Britain - April 27, 2019 Brighton chairman Tony Bloom in the stands before the match REUTERS/Toby Melville Brighton & Hove Albion owner Tony Bloom has invested 9.86 million pounds ($13.41 million) to acquire a 29% stake in Heart of Midlothian, the Scottish Premiership club said on Wednesday. Bloom's stake will be in non-voting shares and he has nominated James Franks, a long-time business consultant with experience of football governance, to join the club's board as a non-executive director. "I firmly believe in the club's ability to disrupt the pattern of domination of Scottish football which has been in place for far too long," Bloom said in a statement. "The appointment of James as my representative on the board underlines the importance I attach to my investment in the club. "James has been a trusted associate of mine for many years and I believe that his wealth of experience in the football industry and strong business acumen will be a tremendous asset to the board and to the club." Hearts finished seventh in the Premiership last season, reached the Scottish Cup semi-finals and played in the league phase of the Conference League. Bloom is also an investor in Belgian Pro League team Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, who ended their 90-year wait for the league title in the 2024-25 season. In March, he also reached an agreement to acquire an initial 19.1% stake in Australian A-League side Melbourne Victory. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
