Gout Gout

[Lods]

There has been a bit of fuss on social media in the last week or two about QLD sprinting sensation Gout Gout.
It's a bit surprising because the clips of Gout doing the rounds are from back in March..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8IuQc-QVhE

I guess a bit of the interest is the fact that the World U/20 championships are on at the moment in Peru.
Gout is still only around 16.
Well about an hour or two ago Gout completely missed the start of the 200 metre final and was well down going into the bend.
He's come over the top of all the others, just failing to catch the 100 meter champion Walaza who was an Olympic relay medallist with the South African team a few weeks ago.

If you get a chance to have a look at it...this kid looks like being something special at the next Olympics and probably at his peak in Brisbane.

(Here it is)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3wWo5qEtTg

and...just when you thought it was safe to leave the track...

Olympian Torrie Lewis has also won a silver in the Women's 200m

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylpKloQWK5w

[DJC]

That was some finish by Gout Gout  :o

Good runs by both athletes and both should be at the peak of their powers in 2028 

[bratblue]

I'm just trying to work out the scenario that earned him his name.

[DJC]

I'm just trying to work out the scenario that earned him his name.

His parents are South Sudanese and I think Gout Gout translates from one of the Nilo-Saharan languages as "Runs like a Cheetah" 

[Lods]

Just with that finishing speed he might end up being more suited to 200/400 running than 100/200.
Whichever... he's an exciting prospect.

[Thryleon]

I'm not sure if this rule is true of athletics, but of almost every other code, beware the child star.  They often fail to live up to expectations. 

[DJC]

I'm not sure if this rule is true of athletics, but of almost every other code, beware the child star.  They often fail to live up to expectations.

Torrie Lewis already has an Olympic silver medal so she's probably exceeded expectations.  Gout X 2 could fall by the wayside but I expect that he'll be there in 2028.

Remember the Cripps who played for St Kilda - Jason I think?  He did Little Athletics at the same time as my daughter and their two clubs took part in District and State competitions.  Jason wore spikes when most kids just had runners and his parents would ponce around explaining, "Jason doesn't do the 70m because it's not an Olympic event!"  He was very quick though and won everything from the 100m to the 400m.  He must have decided that footy was more his thing and gave athletics away for an AFL career.  The fleetness of foot he showed at Little Aths served him well on the footy field but his hamstrings just couldn't hack it.  I wonder if all that sprinting he did as a pre-teen was a contributing factor  :-\

[Lods]

I'm not sure if this rule is true of athletics, but of almost every other code, beware the child star.  They often fail to live up to expectations. 

Nothing is ever certain but...
I've been involved in Track and Field for over 50 years.
I reckon this kid is as exciting a sprint prospect as we've had.
With just a bit of natural progression he'll go sub 10/20 in the 100 and 200 before he reaches 21.
His 20.60 run today was into a headwind. His start probably cost him a couple of metres and he came home nearly over the top of a much more mature, athlete who is no mug runner.

I'm probably one of the most ardent critics of the Little Athletic system and bringing juniors on too quickly.
I beleive it's cost us multiple talented athletes over the years as it's destroyed young prospects by pitting them against early developers.
It's also had a negative impact on the sport in general, in terms of it's profile and participation into senior ranks.
Very few teenagers want to tell their friends they do 'Little A's' and as the kids go through the age groups the drop off is significant.

But there are some who have thrived under the 'early' competition system.

[bobby]

I was involved in LA for a few years, and have had a life long interest in T & F. Kids bodies change as they grow get get slower some get faster. Good coaches and clubs emphasize trying your best at all events and try not to focus too heavily on one or two. High jumpers can become triple jumpers. Sprinters being explosive can become throwers. This is not understood and kids get burnt out when the from in their preferred events drops off.

[DJC]

In my experience, it wasn’t Little Aths that was the problem, it was some of the athletes’ parents ?