A US sprinter has launched a brutal attack on Australian sprinter Gout Gout, claiming the teenager only races 'white nobodies and bums'.
Erin Brown, who represents Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona, took to TikTok to launch a scathing attack on the rising athletics star.
Gout managed to progress to the semi-finals of the World Championships in Tokyo, but missed out on a place in the final, finishing fourth in his race.
And Brown gave some blunt advice for Gout via the social platform, stating: “The next Usain Bolt got brutally destroyed at the world championships."
Gout blasted after Tokyo showing
“Gout Gout, the 17-year-old from Australia who turns 18 in about two months, went out there and got embarrassed.
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“You are a professional athlete now... you running (against) those little white kids in Australia running 22 seconds (over 200m).
“It's easy to run fast against nobody. Your body is relaxed, it's easy to maintain your posture and your form because you're not under pressure.
“He's never been in a race where it's been close and he's had people in front of him. He only races bums.”
22-year-old Brown all but confirmed he’d been keeping tabs on Gout, referencing his race against Lachlan Kennedy last year, going on to add: “There's literally professionals in Australia who run around the same time and he doesn't even race them.
“He raced Lachlan Kennedy one time and Lachlan Kennedy beat him. My advice to bro now is you're a pro now. All that kid s*** is out the window.
“Sure, you're still in school or whatever, but you need to go race your peers - people who get paid to run because the intensity is different.”
Lyles more reserved on Australian teen
However, while Brown was scathing of Gout, compatriot Noah Lyles took a different perspective on the Australian’s disappointing World Championship performance.
“He's more talented (at 17) than I was,” Lyles said.
“Gout's an amazing kid. He's got a great head on him, a great team around him. “It's going to be interesting to see how he develops.”
Gout also took a grounded approach as he looked back on his showings in Tokyo, stating: “The biggest eye-opener is knowing that I can compete at a young age against the best men in the world.
“It definitely makes me hungry, knowing that I'm just a kid right now, but knowing that I can compete.
“The thing I have on them is time. They may not have 15 years – but I've got 15 years. I know that if I can do this at 17, then I can do this at 25 and I'll be even better at 25.”
Lyles would go on to win gold in the 200m final, pipping Kenny Bednarek and Bryan Levell in second and third, respectively, to match Usain Bolt’s record of four world championship gold medals.
Topics: Athletics, Gout Gout, Noah Lyles, Tik Tok
Ben McAleer