Gout Gout's Coach Explains Why Sprint Sensation Is Still Far From His Full Speed: 'I'd Break Him'

Gout Gout’s coach, Di Sheppard, has explained why the world under-20 200m silver medallist is far from realising his full speed.

Sheppard has carefully managed Gout's development through his teenage years. When they first met, Gout walked on his toes, a habit the coach spent six months correcting to get his heel down.

"He's a kid. And he's got so much more physical development," she said as quoted by CBS News. "He only really hit puberty in the last 12 to 18 months, basically."

Standing at 6 feet tall and weighing under 150 pounds, Gout has a lean physique more typical of a long-distance runner than a 200-meter specialist.

While he can be slow out of the blocks, his strength lies in his mid-race speed endurance, allowing him to maintain a top speed of around 25 mph.

Dylan Hicks, a movement scientist at Flinders University, explained that Gout's ability to release explosive energy from his Achilles tendons is exceptional.

"He creates the height. So we see him sort of bouncing his way down the track and using less steps than everybody else," Hicks observed.

With sprinters typically peaking in their mid-20s, Sheppard is cautious about pushing him too hard, too soon. "If I tried to make him super quick now, I'd break him," she stated, mindful of the risks of injury and burnout.

Six years ago, a young Gout Gout was just running around with friends at his school in Queensland, Australia, when he was called over by the "cranky" track coach.

He thought he was in for a telling-off. Instead, that encounter with coach Di Sheppard set him on a path to becoming a sprinting phenomenon.

Sheppard, who had spotted his raw talent, saw a future star. Now 18, Gout has validated her vision, collecting a remarkable array of trophies, medals, and records at both national and international levels.

"It's a pretty crazy dynamic when you think about it. The old White lady and a young Black kid, you know? It's a crazy dynamic," Gout reflected. "But turns out it works perfectly, and [I] wouldn't have it any other way."

Gout, one of seven children born to South Sudanese immigrants, was a student at Ipswich Grammar School when he met Sheppard.

Despite having no formal track background when she started at the school, Sheppard's intuition was immediate. "I looked at him and just went, 'Oh my God.' Something just gut-punchy. It was just like, 'This kid's the real deal,'" said Sheppard, now a grandmother in her 60s.

She confidently told the school's headmaster she would make Gout a star, a promise he initially dismissed as a joke.

But Sheppard was serious. She has remained Gout's one and only coach, fostering a unique and effective relationship.

"Our personalities kinda filter off each other," Gout explained. "We're all on the same level, and we're all learning. So it's a great relationship."

As Gout's profile has grown, so has the media attention, which Sheppard admits she dislikes. "I don't like the attention. It's not my cup of tea," she said. "Gout handles it totally different to me. But good cop, bad cop."

Major brands have also taken notice, with a reported Adidas deal worth over $4 million across eight years. Sheppard, however, remains unfazed about money affecting their bond. "I think the only time we'll have trouble is if it's a girl that I don't like," she quipped.

Gout's talent has already translated into historic performances. At the Australian secondary school championships in December 2022, the then-16-year-old ran the 200-meter dash in 20.04 seconds.

This time, not only did it set a new Australian record, eclipsing a mark from the 1968 Olympics, but it also broke the world age-group record held by the legendary Usain Bolt.

"My first couple steps I had a good start. And if I have a good start, you know, it's kind of over," Gout said. "Because my top-end speed is great. And once I get into top-end speed, I'm flying."

More recently, Gout became the fastest teenager ever in the 200m at a race in Sydney, clocking an astonishing 19.67 seconds. To put that in perspective, that time would have secured a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

With the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics on the horizon, Gout is a serious medal contender. By the time the 2032 Summer Games arrive in his home city of Brisbane, he will be 24, an age when many sprinters reach their absolute peak.

Gout himself understands the delicate balance required. "It's crazy to think about how you want to run as fast as possible, but you don't want to overload too much when you're a teenager because then that messes up the rest of your career," he said. "Like, you know, you got all the time in the world."

Despite the intense media attention surrounding him, sprinter Gout Gout completed his studies at Ipswich Grammar School, graduating with straight A's in December.

For the time being, he continues to train alongside local children in his hometown, a far cry from the world-class facilities typically associated with elite athletes.