18-year-old Gout Gout beats Usain Bolt’s 200m record that stood for 2 decades

18-year-old Australian athlete Gout Gout has shattered Usain Bolt’s record. 

Gout Gout delivered a landmark performance at the Australian Athletics Championships on Sunday, April 12, clocking 19.67 seconds in the 200 metres to win the title and go past a benchmark set by Usain Bolt early in his career. 

Bolt’s best time before the age of 23 was 19.93 seconds. 

Gout, at 18, has now gone significantly quicker, adding another layer of context to what is already a standout performance. 

For an athlete of his age, the time places him among the quickest in the world this season. It also marks a sharp improvement from his previous best of 20.02, underlining the speed of his progression over the past year. 

Gout had previously dipped under 20 seconds, but that effort came with the assistance of a tailwind and was not recognised as an official mark. Sunday’s run, therefore, marked his first sub-20 performance under legal conditions, and one that immediately stands out in the broader sprinting landscape. 

The final itself saw a strong field, with Aidan Murphy finishing second in 19.88 and Calab Law taking third place in 20.21. Gout, however, separated himself through the latter half of the race, maintaining control after the bend and pulling away in the closing stages.