Gout Gout: Usain Bolt Makes Prediction About Australian Wonderkid’s Sprinting Future

Sprinting legend Usain Bolt has high praise for teenage phenom Gout Gout, predicting the young Australian can go "a long way" if he maintains his current trajectory.

Gout Gout has already made a significant impact on the sport, setting both the Oceanian and world under-20 records in the 200m. His explosive arrival on the scene two years ago has drawn frequent comparisons to Bolt himself.

The rising star claimed a silver medal at the 2024 World Under-20 Championships and later competed at the senior event in Tokyo last year. Despite not advancing beyond the semi-finals, the 18-year-old once again demonstrated his world-class potential.

Speaking exclusively to talkSPORT at the Soccer Aid charity event on Sunday, eight-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt shared his thoughts on the young sprinter's future.

"I’m happy to hear youngsters coming up, but I’ve heard a lot about people breaking my records for years now, so it’s just one of those things, people show talent and it’s going to come up," Bolt explained. "But I can see he has immense talent and if he keeps working at it, I think he can go a long way."

Remarkably, Gout Gout has already posted faster times than Bolt did at the same age, highlighting his meteoric rise. He has also begun training with current Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles, with the two set to compete against each other for the first time at the Ostrava Golden Spike in June.

Meanwhile, Bolt was back in London managing the World XI team for Soccer Aid alongside Clarence Seedorf and comedian Judi Love. The event marked a return to the London Stadium, the venue of his spectacular triple-gold performance at the 2012 Olympics.

During those Games, Bolt triumphed in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay, setting a new world record in the latter. Reflecting on his return, he expressed a sense of nostalgia and pride.

"It’s always a great feeling," Bolt said. "I was standing in the middle of the field and I was like, wow this is so wonderful thinking back to what I’ve done here. It’s just surreal. It’s something I enjoy being back where I’ve done things."

The charity match was a resounding success, raising over £16 million. Bolt's World XI was narrowly defeated 3-2 by England in the star-studded affair.