ATHLETICS: Australia's Gout to take on 4x400m relay at under-20 world championships

Australian teenage sprint sensation Gout Gout will compete in both the 200 meters and the 4x400-meter relay at the Under-20 World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, this August as he aims to follow in the footsteps of Jamaican legend Usain Bolt by winning the 200m title.

The 18-year-old continued his rapid rise after setting an under-20 world record of 19.67 seconds in the 200m during the Australian Championships in Sydney last month. The time also broke his previous national record and currently stands as the fastest 200m run in the world this year.

Australian Athletics confirmed on Tuesday that Gout will compete in two events at the championships, which will be held at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon. The teenager has opted to skip the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, scheduled from July 23 to Aug. 2.

Gout said he is eager to compete at the iconic venue and hopes to deliver strong performances for Australia.

“I know it’s a great stadium and place to run fast,” he said in a statement.

“I’ll be competing in the 200m, but I’m also excited to join the 4x400m relay on the last day.”

His inclusion in the relay squad comes after Australia secured a surprise bronze medal in the men’s 4x400m at the World Athletics Relays in Gaborone, Botswana, earlier this month.

Gout first gained international attention at the 2024 Under-20 World Championships in Lima, where he won silver in the 200m at just 16 years old.

Bolt captured the 200m gold medal at the 2002 Under-20 Championships in Kingston, Jamaica, shortly before turning 16, beginning a career that would later produce eight Olympic gold medals.

In addition to his success in the 200m, Gout is also considered a rising threat in the 100m, where he owns a personal best of 10.00 seconds. -Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford/Reuters