Australian teenager Gout Gout has run 200m faster than sprinting great Usain Bolt did at the same age.
The 18-year-old clocked a superb time of 19.67 seconds to win at his national championships on Sunday.
It was the first time that Gout had gone under the 20-second mark legally, after a wind-assisted 19.84 last season, and is the leading time in the world this year.
He had the quickest-ever time by a 16-year-old – setting a national record of 20.06 – when he burst on to the scene in 2024. Sunday’s mark in Sydney was quicker than the Jamaican eight-time Olympic champion’s time of 19.93 back in 2004.
Aidan Murphy, who was second to Gout, also beat the 20-second mark with a time of 19.88.
“This is what I’ve been waiting for,” said Gout, who was born in Queensland to parents from South Sudan.
“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.
“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 ready for more.”
Gout has indicated that he will skip the Commonwealth Games, which begin in Glasgow on 23 July, to focus on the World Under-20 Championships in Oregon in early August.