World Athletics president Sebastian Coe calls for care with Australian sprint sensation Gout Gout

Gout Gout of Queensland wins the final of the Boys' U18 200m in a National Record time of 20.04 seconds on December 7. Photo / Getty Images

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said on Tuesday that 16-year-old Australian sprint sensation Gout Gout was a rare talent but he will need “nurturing and protecting”.

Gout ran 20.04sec for the 200m at the Australian All Schools Athletics Championships at his home track in Brisbane this month, putting him second only behind Erriyon Knighton’s 19.84sec on the all-time under-18 list for the distance.

He also broke Australia’s national senior 200m record.

The lanky Gout, who was born in Australia after his parents migrated there from South Sudan, has inevitably drawn comparisons with eight-time Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt at the same age.

Absolutely outrageous from Gout Gout.

10.04 at the age of 16.

Speechless.

pic.twitter.com/FYJbOzyMVz

— Daniel Hussey (@DanielHussey2) December 6, 2024

Congrats to Gout Gout for such an impressive performance!! Especially at the age of 16yr old. Showed all the traits of an elite sprinter, destined for greatness! pic.twitter.com/HKJVbhtThk

— Justin Gatlin (@justingatlin) December 13, 2024

But Coe said in an end-of-year call with reporters that the teenager must be handled carefully.

“He is clearly talented, but there is a bit of realism here as well,” the Briton said.

“He is 16, 17, he is an outstanding talent. But I think anybody that you speak to in the upper echelons of Australian coaching and certainly here at World Athletics will tell you that the biggest challenge in coaching is taking a really talented 17 to 18-year-old into the upper echelons of the senior teams.”

GOUT GOUT IS THE FASTEST AUSTRALIAN OVER 200M EVER 🔥🔥

20.04 SECONDS, THE AGE-16 WORLD RECORD…THIS KID IS UNBELIEVABLE 😱

(📷: @wldathleticshub) pic.twitter.com/vfZbVUwIZj

— ESPN Australia & NZ (@ESPNAusNZ) December 7, 2024

Coe added: “We have to be realistic about this ... the vast majority of people who win world junior titles don’t go on to compete for their national team at senior level.

“This is a rare and precious talent that will need nurturing and protecting.”

- Agence France-Presse