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Schoolboy sprint sensation Gout Gout has lived up to the hype in a successful debut at the world athletics championships, easing into the second round of the men’s 200m.
The 17-year-old made a slowish start in his heat on Wednesday night but found his rhythm in the straight to finish third in 20.23 seconds.
It was mission accomplished for the Queenslander, with the top three in each heat advancing automatically to the semi-finals on Thursday.
Gout is the youngest man in the 200m field in Tokyo and the youngest man ever to be selected in an Australian team at a world athletics championships.
He set the Australian record of 20.02 earlier this year and is every chance to dip under the 20-second barrier later in the championships in Tokyo.
Jamaican Bryan Levell won Gout’s heat in the quickest overall qualifying time of 19.84, while big guns Noah Lyles, Kenny Bednarek and reigning Olympic champ Letsile Tebogo from Botswana also got through with ease.
Australians Calab Law and Aidan Murphy were eliminated.
Torrie Lewis (22.56) stripped 0.13 off her personal best, finishing second in the last of six women’s 200m heats to power into the semis on Thursday.
Earlier in the championships, the 20-year-old Queenslander broke her own Australian 100m record with a time of 11.08 in the opening round, but was bitterly disappointed at then being eliminated in the semis.
Countrywomen Mia Gross and Kristie Edwards were run out in the women’s 200m heats.
Anavia Battle topped the qualifying sheets with 22.07 ahead of fellow American and 100m gold medallist Melissa Jefferson-Wooden (22.24), who is chasing the sprint double in Tokyo.
Australian Connor Murphy (16.58m) was 16th overall in men’s triple jump qualifying, with only the top 14 advancing.
What next for Gout Gout?
The 200m semi-final will be at 10.02pm AEST on Thursday.
And should Gout make it all the way to the final, you’re in for a late night: that will take place at 11.06pm AEST on Friday.
The favourite is Noah Lyles from the United States, and for good reason: he’s won all three of the last world championship titles in the event.
Gout said after Tokyo he’ll be taking a short break from competition to return to Australia for final exams at school.
Despite the demands of his athletics training, the sprinter is known as a highly accomplished student with high grades and an interest in studying psychology.
Every session from the nine-day event will be broadcast live and free across SBS VICELAND, including the World Athletics Championships 2025 Hub via SBS On Demand, which will also feature full replays, mini recaps and Aussie Focus clips for every session.
Morning sessions will run from 8am to 1.30pm AEST on September 13–15 and 20–21, while evening sessions will be from 8pm to 11.30pm AEST each night of the championships.
— With additional reporting by the Australian Associated Press.
