Teenage Australian sprinter Gout Gout has set a new world Under-20 record in the 200 metres.
He ran 19.67 seconds to win the race at the Australian Athletics Championships in Sydney on Sunday.
The 18-year-old also became the first Australian to legally break the 20-second mark in the event.
He achieved the feat at Sydney Olympic Park with a legal +1.7m/s tailwind, defending his national title in the process.
The time also beats the previous world U20 record and adds to his growing list of achievements on the track.
“This is what I’ve been waiting for,” Gout said after the race.
“We have such incredible athletes in Australia, and me being able to race these athletes, we push each other to the limits. Two Australians sub-20. I mean, this is amazing.”
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Gout said the run felt special because it was his first legal sub-20 performance.
“There’s a big weight off my shoulders knowing I ran it legally, and I have the speed and my body to run times like that. So, it definitely feels great, and I’m ready for more,” he said.
He also revealed he had aimed for a fast time before the race.
“I wrote down 19.75 seconds, and for the past week in my head I’ve been telling myself I’m running 19.75 and obviously – 19.67 – you’ve got to love it,” he said.
The result confirms Gout as one of the fastest young sprinters in the world as he continues his rise in athletics.