MELBOURNE: Australian sprint sensation Gout Gout said on Thursday he was “ready to rock and roll” as the teenager targets a lightning-fast 200m time in Melbourne this weekend.

The 18-year-old burst on the scene in 2024 when he clocked 20.04 seconds at the Australian All Schools Athletics Championships.

It shattered Peter Norman’s national record of 20.06 from the 1968 Olympics and was the quickest time ever by a 16-year-old.

It earned him comparisons to Usain Bolt and he has since run 20.02.

In his debut world championships at Tokyo last year, Gout crashed out in the semi-finals.

He gets another chance to showcase his ability at the World Continental Tour Gold-level Maurie Plant meet on Saturday.

It will be a rematch with compatriot Lachlan Kennedy.

Kennedy upset Gout to win a pulsating 200m at the same event last year in 20.26.

The race this time also features Irish sub-20 second man Benjamin Richardson.

“I’m all clear, all healthy, I’m ready to rock and roll on Saturday,” said Gout, who was troubled with a head cold earlier this month.

“I mean, the sprint is always the sprint, you have to run as fast as you can. Knowing Lachie, he is such a great starter. I know I have to work hard from the beginning.”

Gout, who was born in Australia after his parents migrated from South Sudan, has attracted global attention since hitting the headlines two years ago.

He has now finished school and expects to have more time to train to truly fulfil his potential.

“Training is definitely going to be a lot more professional in a way, knowing that I can train a lot more efficiently,” he said. “(I can) get a lot more reps and get in the gym a bit more. That’s definitely going to be a major factor.”

Other notable athletes in Melbourne include Olympic pole vault champion Nina Kennedy and British Olympic 1500m bronze medallist Georgia Hunter Bell.

Published in Dawn, March 27th, 2026