7NEWS Spotlight special event: Gout Gout
Join Bruce McAvaney and Olympic greats Cathy Freeman, Matt Shirvington and Raelene Boyle as they chart Gout Gout’s journey to becoming the fastest man who’s ever lived
He’s the fastest man in Australia… on track to become the fastest man alive.
In case anyone missed it, in December last year the teenage sprinting phenomenon blasted onto the world stage when he broke the Australian 200m sprint record set by Peter Norman 56 years ago – at just a month shy of 17.
The greatest-ever didn’t run this fast, at his age. But Usain Bolt went on to set records still to be broken and was unbeaten across three Olympic Games – hence all the fuss about Gout Gout.
Going into the Aussie record books was incredible enough, but it was being faster than Bolt at just 16 that launched Gout into the athletics universe.
The comparisons are obvious. It’s not just the times, there’s also the technique and the way he wins, coming from the back of the field like a hurricane.
On track to be a finalist at the next Olympics and aspirations of winning gold in Brisbane in 2032, the Queensland schoolboy sits down with Seven’s Bruce McAvaney in this inspiring 7NEWS Spotlight special event to air next Sunday after Australian Idol on Seven and 7plus, sharing his ambition of becoming the world’s fastest human.
McAvaney is joined by Sunrise’s Matt Shirvington and Raelene Boyle, as the Olympic greats are trackside with Gout at a training session to give their verdict on the teenager’s talent.
Gout’s team have no doubt he’s on the trajectory of greatness. His take-no-prisoners coach, Di Shepperd, says that it isn’t a question of “might” but “when”. Manager James Templeton echoes that sentiment, declaring there is no doubt that doubt Gout will be an Olympic finalist.
The golden girl of Sydney’s Olympics, Cathy Freeman, has been watching Gout Gout’s stunning progress. She knows better than anyone what it’s like to be in the teenager’s shoes, the expectation and anticipation that comes with being a young athlete.
"[Gout] is just something else,” she tells McAvaney and 7NEWS Spotlight. “Watching him race, it’s like he’s been shot out of a cannon or something. He’s quite extraordinary.
“He’s probably smarter than I was at that age. He’s quicker. But he’s certainly got the world at his feet.”
McAvaney added: “To think Gout was a cross-country official at what might turn out to be an Olympic Stadium says much about his ambition to compete at home in 2032. It’s distant, yet so close.”
Gout Gout’s next big race is in the Maurie Plant Meet on Saturday, 29 March, which will be broadcast exclusively live and free on Seven and 7plus.
7NEWS Spotlight special event: Gout Gout
Next Sunday after Australian Idol on Seven and 7plus
