Wonderkid athletes like Gout Gout have been earning comparisons to Usain Bolt, and Justin Gatlin is not a fan of it.
Former American sprinter Justin Gatlin has cautioned against comparing emerging sprint sensations like Gout Gout to Olympic legend Usain Bolt, warning that such comparisons could place unnecessary pressure on the young athlete.
Gout, the 16-year-old Australian sprinter, has rapidly gained global recognition after clocking Olympic-standard times at a remarkably young age.
His standout moment came at the U20 World Championships, where he posted a stunning 20.60 seconds in the 200m, a hundredth of a second faster than Bolt’s record time in the same event back in 2002.
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Many have already labeled Gout as Bolt’s successor, given his rapid rise and record-breaking performances. In December 2023, he shattered Peter Norman’s longstanding Australian record of 20.06 seconds by clocking 20.04 seconds at the Australian All Schools Championships.
That feat not only secured him the national title but also made him the fastest 16-year-old in history over 200m, surpassing Bolt’s time of 20.13 seconds at the same age.
However, Gatlin, an Olympic gold medalist in the 100m at the 2004 Athens Games, has urged caution, emphasizing the detrimental effects of placing such expectations on young athletes.
Speaking on his Ready Set Go podcast, Gatlin advised track and field fans to refrain from prematurely anointing rising stars as the “next Bolt” or the “next great one.”
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“Please everybody, stop saying and telling these young athletes ‘you are the next great one, you are the next Bolt, you are the next Allyson [Felix] or whoever else,’” Gatlin said.
“They have the capability of doing it. They have a high capability of making their mark in the sport the same way. Let them walk their path. Let them run their path. But at the same time, do not make them think they have already arrived.
“If everything starts crumbling around them, and then the losses become so much pressure in their heads, they fade away early in their 20s.
“We have seen a lot of these athletes in our sport fading in their 20s, never to be seen again. So let us stop doing them a disservice that way.”
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Fred Kerley believes young athletes should stay in junior categories to develop mentally and physically without the intimidation and pressures of senior competition, which he says can harm their careers and benefit coaches more than the athletes themselves.
Gout is not the only teenage sprinter making waves. American Quincy Wilson also had a breakthrough 2024 season, becoming the youngest-ever Olympic gold medalist as part of the USA’s 4x400m relay team.
Wilson has consistently clocked elite times in the 400m, further fueling excitement around the new generation of sprinters.
Despite the talent on display, Gatlin’s words serve as a reality check for those eager to anoint the next dominant figure in sprinting.
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