Gout Gout: Once ‘I get running, I’m chilling’
Gout did not go under 20 to break his own Australian record of 20.02 as he was hoping to do. His time was 12th overall.
Gout admitted he had a case of the butterflies under the gaze of tens of thousands who have been loud at this meet, and rightfully so.
While the Queensland teenager said he botched his start, he had the best reaction time of his heat, a 0.144. Slightly frightening to think what happens when he’s happy off the blocks.
Once Gout knew he had enough space to secure a top-three finish, he let up to save himself for his semi-final where he will go up against the reigning Olympic champion, Letsile Tebogo of Botswana, in a mouth-watering clash.
“Starts obviously not much fun but as soon as I get running, I’m chilling,” Gout said. “So yeah it’s good nerves. It’s a bit nervous but you know, just go out there, have some fun and I enjoy being here.
“I felt that in my heat everyone wasn’t up against me apart from the top two. So I just hit cruise control the last 50, the last 30.
“This goes to, the expectation, wherever I go so I’m just going to go out there and do my thing and have a bit of fun.”
When Bolt made his major debut a long, long time ago, the Jamaican did not make it out of the heats. Gout has at least topped him there, which he’ll happily take.
“He is the GOAT. I just got out to the semis so it’s definitely great to know that I’m up against the top 24 in the world.
“It’s Usain Bolt. He’s the athlete everyone looks up to so I just got to keep looking up to him and try to be like him.”