'Peter would be very proud'- Gout Gout's record-breaking feat sparks emotional phone call

Australian youngster Gout Gout received a special call after breaking a 56-year-old record sparking excitement and recognition from family.

Australia’s world U20 silver medallist Gout Gout received a very special phone call after smashing a 56-year-old record at the Australian All Schools Championships in Brisbane.

The 16-year-old sprinting sensation clocked a stunning 20.04 seconds in the 200m, eclipsing Usain Bolt’s best time at the same age of 20.13 seconds.

His time also set a new Australian record in the event, breaking the long-standing 1968 mark set by the legendary Peter Norman.

The performance was historic on multiple fronts, as it marked the fastest 200m ever by an Australian, outpacing Norman’s previous best of 20.06, which had stood for more than five decades.

Norman, an iconic figure in Australian sport, famously took silver in the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City.

However, his moment on the podium was also one of protest, as he stood alongside American sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos, raising their fists in the Black Power salute to protest racial inequality in the United States.

While Norman's support for Smith and Carlos cost him personally, including a failure to secure selection for the 1972 Munich Olympics, his actions are now celebrated as a monumental stance for racial justice.

He passed away in 2006 at the age of 64, and only recently did the Australian government offer him a posthumous apology for the mistreatment he faced during his life.

Gout’s groundbreaking performance caught the attention of Norman’s nephew, Matt Norman, who called the young sprinter to congratulate him on breaking the iconic record.

Speaking to The Times, Matt said, “Peter would be very proud. He’s amazing and I’m ecstatic. I’ve spoken to him, his coach, and his manager.

"I said, 'I hope you understand exactly what has happened and what you have done because a 56-year-old record is a huge achievement for anyone.' It’s amazing for us as a family and for Australia in general.”

Matt continued, reflecting on his uncle’s hopes for future generations: “I remember Peter saying to me, 'It’s been too long, wouldn’t it be nice for someone to break my records?' Unfortunately, he was not able to see it, but for us as a family, it’s a huge thing to celebrate a young Aussie.”

Gout’s reaction to the call was one of pure excitement and he expressed his amazement at speaking with Norman’s nephew, who made the award-winning documentary Salute about Peter Norman’s life and career.

“He was saying, 'Oh, I can’t believe I’m talking to Peter’s nephew who made the film I saw in high school,'" Matt said.

He’s a really good guy. I think he is still processing it all but I’m backing him and will be watching him at the Olympics."

Gout was not finished with his outstanding performances, however.

In the same competition, the teenager ran a remarkable 10.04 seconds in the 100m, the fourth-fastest time ever by an under-18 athlete, and the fifth-fastest overall by an Australian.

Unfortunately, the time did not count for the record books, as a 3.4m/s tailwind assisted his sprint, exceeding the legal limit of 2.0m/s.

Nevertheless, Gout followed up with another impressive run, clocking a legal 10.17 seconds, which became the sixth-fastest under-18 time ever and set a national record for his age group.

The sprint prodigy, whose parents emigrated from Sudan before he was born, is proving himself to be one of the brightest stars in Australian athletics, and his historic achievement will likely be the first of many as he continues to race toward future glory.