Aussie Sprinter Gout Gout Equals Fastest-Ever Time on Home Soil

The 18-year-old sensation withdraws from Commonwealth Games to focus on U20 World Championships.

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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Gout Gout, an 18-year-old Australian sprinter, has recorded the equal fastest-ever time for an Australian on home soil, clocking 10.00 seconds (+0.9) in his first race of the 2026 season. This performance comes just two weeks after Gout withdrew from the Commonwealth Games to prioritize the U20 World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, where he hopes to emulate the success of sprint legend Usain Bolt.

Why it matters

Gout's record-tying performance has the athletics world buzzing, as the young sprinter appears poised to break the elusive 10-second barrier in the 100m. His decision to forgo the Commonwealth Games in favor of the U20 Worlds also highlights his long-term focus on international success at the junior level before transitioning to the senior ranks.

The details

Gout's time of 10.00 seconds (+0.9) equaled the fastest-ever mark by an Australian on home soil, set by fellow sprinter Lachlan Kennedy in 2025. Gout is now the third-fastest sprinter in Australian history, behind only Kennedy and Patrick Johnson, who hold the national records of 9.98 and 9.93 seconds, respectively. The 18-year-old's performance also broke the Australian U20 record and qualified him for the U20 World Championships in Eugene.

  • Gout Gout recorded his 10.00-second time on February 21, 2026 at the Dane Bird-Smith Shield Meet in Brisbane.
  • Gout withdrew from the 2026 Commonwealth Games just two weeks prior, on February 7, 2026.
  • The U20 World Championships will be held from August 5-9, 2026 in Eugene, Oregon.

The players

Gout Gout

An 18-year-old Australian sprinter who has emerged as one of the country's top young talents, with the potential to become the first Australian to win the 200m event at the U20 World Championships.

Lachlan Kennedy

An Australian sprinter who previously held the record for the fastest 100m time by an Australian on home soil, with a mark of 9.98 seconds set in 2025.

Patrick Johnson

The current Australian record holder in the 100m, with a time of 9.93 seconds set in 2003.

Jake Doran

The previous holder of the Australian U20 100m record, which Gout Gout has now eclipsed.

Usain Bolt

The legendary Jamaican sprinter who dominated the junior 200m event before going on to set world records in the 100m and 200m at the senior level.

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What they’re saying

“It was only a matter of time! Proud it took someone of Gout's calibre to eclipse my mark!”

— Jake Doran (Instagram)

What’s next

Gout Gout will now focus his attention on the U20 World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, where he will look to become the first Australian to win the 200m event at the junior level.

The takeaway

Gout Gout's record-tying performance and decision to prioritize the U20 World Championships over the Commonwealth Games highlights the rising star's long-term ambitions to emulate the success of sprint legends like Usain Bolt on the junior international stage before transitioning to the senior ranks.