PRAGUE: Australian teenage sprint sensation Gout Gout said on Sunday he preferred 200 metres to 100 metres which is “too short” as he was bracing for his first-ever start in Europe.

The 17-year-old won the Australian Athletic Championships in April clocking 19.84 seconds on 200 metres and 9.99 seconds on 100 metres, though both with a tailwind above the limit.

He is getting ready to run 200 metres at the Golden Spike meet in the eastern Czech city of Ostrava on Tuesday in his European premiere.

“I definitely like 200 more than 100 because 100 is a bit too short for me,” Gout told reporters.

“You get the start and then you’re already at the finish line. I really like getting out and getting to my top speed and keep holding it to the finish line. So 200 is great and I love it,” said Gout, whose parents migrated from South Sudan.

He rose to prominence last December when he clocked the quickest 200m time ever by a 16-year-old of 20.04 sec, bettering Usain Bolt’s personal best at the same age.

After Ostrava, Gout will compete at the Diamond League in Monaco on July 11 with eyes on the world championships in Tokyo in September.

Published in Dawn, June 24th, 2025