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Australian Sprinter Gout Gout Achieves Sub-10 Second 100m Times at National Championships
Emerging sprinter Gout Gout made headlines at the national athletic championships in Perth by becoming only the third Australian to ever run the 100m in under 10 seconds. He remarkably accomplished this benchmark twice within two hours during a thrilling day of competition.
Wind Conditions Affect Official Recognition
Despite the 17-year-old athlete achieving times of 9.99 seconds in both the heats and the final, neither performance will be officially recognized due to excessive tailwinds.
Gout secured victory in the Australian under-20 100m event, but the celebratory atmosphere surrounding his win was somewhat overshadowed by the wind readings.
As he crossed the finish line, the trackside display indicated a wind speed of 2.6m/s, exceeding the legal limit of 2m/s. His heat time was also recorded with an illegal tailwind of 3.5m/s.
Athlete’s Perspective on Wind-Assisted Times
Following the final, Gout expressed feeling “pretty good” and indicated that he was not disheartened by the conditions that prevented official sub-10 second recognition.
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“Sometimes it’s frustrating, but you know, you can’t manage what you can’t manage, and wind is clearly something uncontrollable. You have to learn to compete with or against it,” he commented.
Historical Context of Australian 100m Records
The current Australian 100m record stands at 9.93 seconds, set by Patrick Johnson in 2003.
Gout joins Johnson and Rohan Browning as the only Australians to have run the 100m in under 10 seconds under any conditions. Johnson previously ran 9.88 seconds with a 3.6m/s tailwind in Perth prior to his official record in 2003. Browning clocked 9.96 seconds in Wollongong in 2021, aided by a 3.3m/s tailwind.
Focus on Under-20s and Open 200m
At this meet, Gout participated in the under-20 category for the 100m, while also competing in the open 200m, where he holds the national record.
“Achieving a sub-10 second time is a goal for every sprinter and to accomplish this early in the season is definitely fantastic. This sub-10 performance significantly enhances my confidence, particularly for my primary event, the 200m,” he stated.
Increased Spectator and Media Interest
Thursday at the West Australian Athletics Stadium saw thousands of spectators fill the stands to witness Gout’s races. Approximately 80 journalists and photographers were accredited for the championships, roughly triple the number from the previous year.
“This level of attention is vital for Athletics Australia, it’s what motivates us and what we train for. I couldn’t ask for a better atmosphere,” Gout added.
Upcoming 200m Competition
Gout, hailing from Queensland, is scheduled to compete in the open 200m on Sunday against Lachie Kennedy, the 21-year-old who defeated Gout at the Maurie Plant meet two weeks prior.
The national 200m record of 20.04 seconds was established by Gout in December.
1500m Events: Hull and Myers Impress in Heats
Women’s 1500m
In the initial heat of the highly anticipated 1500m events, Paris silver medalist Jessica Hull outpaced Georgia Griffith by a quarter of a second, despite facing a challenging preparation period.
Hull competed at the Grand Slam Track event in Jamaica just five days earlier, before returning to Australia for this meet, arriving on Monday via New York and Hong Kong.
Men’s 1500m
In the men’s 1500m, 18-year-old Cameron Myers demonstrated impressive form, winning his heat comfortably in 3:38.20.
National record holder Olli Hoare and reigning national champion Adam Spencer also secured victories in their respective heats.
Hoare mentioned that while the world championships in September are a consideration, Saturday’s final presents an opportunity for them to compete head-to-head domestically.
“I could return to the US for intense training and participate in significant Diamond League races, but competing at home against this level of talent is an important opportunity; not competing seriously would be a disservice to oneself,” he explained.
Paralympian Langdon Sets World Record in 1500m Heat
Behind Hoare in his heat, Paralympian Reece Langdon finished seventh but achieved a new world record in the T38 classification, completing the race in 3:46.83, surpassing the previous record by approximately one second.
Langdon revealed uncertainty about competing just two hours before the race.
“I was feeling unwell and was considering withdrawing because I didn’t want to perform poorly and run a slow time,” he stated.
“Surprisingly, I managed to start, and I suppose adrenaline took over.”
Low Breaks World Record in Long Jump
Long jumper Vanessa Low also set a world record in the T61 classification, improving her previous mark from 5.45m to 5.71m.