Gout Gout Breaks Australian 100m Record

The 18-year-old sprint sensation's surprise 10.00-second run puts him among the fastest Aussies ever.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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Gout Gout, an 18-year-old Australian sprinter, has broken the national 100-meter record with a time of 10.00 seconds (+0.9 wind). The run came as a surprise, as Gout's manager revealed they had only decided a week prior that he would compete in the 100m event, with Gout typically focusing on the 200m. Gout's time equals the previous Australian record held by Lachlan Kennedy and makes him the third-fastest sprinter in Australian history.

Why it matters

Gout Gout's record-breaking 100m run has thrust the young sprinter into the national spotlight. While he is better known for his 200m prowess, this performance shows he has the potential to excel at the shorter distance as well, putting him on a path that could mirror that of legends like Usain Bolt who found success in both events.

The details

Gout Gout's manager, James Templeton, revealed that the decision to have Gout compete in the 100m event at the Dane Bird-Smith Shield Meet was made just a week prior, as Gout's training had been going exceptionally well. Gout typically focuses on the 200m, an event in which he is tracking alongside Usain Bolt's junior records, but his manager believes he could follow in Bolt's footsteps and emerge as a top 100m runner as he continues to develop his power and speed.

  • Gout Gout ran 10.00 seconds (+0.9 wind) on February 24, 2026 at the Dane Bird-Smith Shield Meet in QSAC.
  • Gout's time equals the previous Australian record set by Lachlan Kennedy in April 2025.
  • Gout's record-breaking run has qualified him for the U-20 World Championships in Eugene, Oregon later this year.

The players

Gout Gout

An 18-year-old Australian sprint sensation who has broken the national 100-meter record with a time of 10.00 seconds.

James Templeton

Gout Gout's manager, who revealed the last-minute decision for Gout to compete in the 100m event.

Di Sheppard

Gout Gout's trainer, who decided a week prior that Gout would compete in the 100m event after his strong training performances.

Lachlan Kennedy

The previous holder of the Australian 100-meter record, which Gout Gout has now equaled with his 10.00-second run.

Usain Bolt

The legendary Jamaican sprinter, whose junior records Gout Gout is tracking alongside in the 200m event.

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What they’re saying

“Di Sheppard...I had been in Brisbane the previous weekend, and at training she said, 'Training has been going great. He feels great. I think we will have a run next Saturday. We will keep it fairly low key.' And so he just turned up, as it were, but it was always planned from the weekend before.”

— James Templeton, Gout Gout's manager (SEN Radio)

“It's hard to say. At the moment, 200m is his main event and focus. But there is a precedent for it. Not only Usain Bolt, who didn't really take up running 100s until he was 22, 23. But also Noah Lyles who didn't emerge as a 100m runner until his early 20s.”

— James Templeton, Gout Gout's manager (SEN Radio)

What’s next

Gout Gout will now focus on competing in the 200m event at the U-20 World Championships in Eugene, Oregon later this year, though his manager believes he could follow in the footsteps of sprinting legends like Usain Bolt and emerge as a top 100m runner as he continues to develop.

The takeaway

Gout Gout's surprise 100m record-breaking run at just 18 years old has catapulted the young Australian sprinter into the national spotlight, showing he has the potential to excel at both the 100m and 200m events and join the ranks of the country's all-time great sprinters.