Australian Media Make Feelings Clear on Gout Gout After First World Championships

Australian media have made their feelings clear on Gout Gout's performances at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

The 17-year-old, who was born in Ipswich, Queensland, was chosen to represent Australia in the 200-metre event.

He finished in third place in his heat to reach the semi-finals, running a time of 20.22 seconds.

His semi-final time - 20.38 - was slower and Gout failed to make it through to the final, but he would have needed to run under 20 seconds for the first time in his career to do so.

Gout has already earned comparisons to Usain Bolt for his proficiency over both 100 and 200 metres at a young age.

The Australian has risen to prominence over the past 18 months largely through social media, with his record times over 100 and 200 metres recorded in junior races in his homeland.

He made his European athletics debut at the Golden Spike Ostrava in June, but Tokyo will have been the first time that many fans witnessed him race live.

Noah Lyles, who went on to win gold in the 200 metres, spoke highly of Gout, telling reporters at the track: "There's been nothing but great talent coming up. He's an amazing kid. He's got a great head on him. He's got a great team around him."

And Australian media have struck a similar tone surrounding one of their biggest young sporting talents.

Australia have not enjoyed major success on the track since the days of star hurdler Sally Pearson, but Jessica Hull took bronze in the 1500 metres in Tokyo.

She also reached the final of the 800 metres - her weaker discipline of the two - and set an astonishing area record in the process, all despite a heavy fall in the heats.

Hull and Gout were the two major Australian talking points on the track, with The Nightly's Mitchell Johnson - not to be confused with the former Australia cricketer who tore England apart in the 2013/14 Ashes - describing Hull as 'showing courage, humility and composure when it matters most'.

On Gout, he wrote that he had 'captured the imagination of the country', and added: "For me, success is what Gout did in Japan. This was experience, and valuable experience at that. To test yourself against the best in the world at 17 and walk away with lessons, confidence, and the respect of your competitors - that's success."

He described Gout's semi-final run as 'electric' and noted that his 'composure at humility at his age is almost as exciting as his speed'.

Michael Gleeson, writing for the Sydney Morning Herald, described Gout as having produced an 'A-grade performance' in Tokyo.

He added: "The 17-year-old came to Tokyo with the weight of expectation and the curious eyes of the world on him - and delivered.

"He enjoyed the exposure to the level, carried the pressure and ran well to make a semi-final. Just getting out of the heats against bigger, more experienced runners is outrageously good for his age."

While the Canberra Times noted how there had been 'hugely encouraging performances from generation next headed by teen sensation Gout Gout'.