Gout Gout redefined Australian sprinting – at a school meet – while other athletes who will also be a prime age for Brisbane 2032 also made the most of the atmosphere to record exceptional marks.
Cover image graphic of Gout Gout and Peter Norman courtesy of World Athletics Archive & Museum Manager, PJ Vazel
The Australian All School Championships were held last weekend at the Queensland Sport & Athletics Centre, the venue currently earmarked to be the athletics venue for the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane (but with a recent change of government, and a 100 day review of Olympic infrastructure underway, don’t be surprised if that might change). What won’t change is the level of emerging talent in Australian athletics.
Gout Gout: Sprinting Sensation
Gout Gout etched his name in history with a performance for the ages – well two of them really. Imagine a 16-year-old schoolboy running 10.04s wind-assisted and 10.17 seconds legal over 100m, and that not being the main story. Gout did that on day one of the meet.
Of course, the following day the Ipswich teen stunned the nation by breaking Peter Norman’s legendary 200m record from the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, clocking a blistering 20.04 seconds (+1.5). The feat not only erased a 56-year-old mark but also placed him second on the global Under 18 all-time list, behind only USA’s Erriyon Knighton, who has placed fourth at the last two Olympic Games.
“These are adult times and me, just a kid – I’m running them. It’s going to be a great future for sure,” Gout said after his 200m triumph. “He looks like young me.”Usain Bolt on Gout Gout
A recent deal with adidas and the international and Australian media spotlight positions Gout as the athlete to watch of his generation – amongst a very talented crop. He’ll take up an invitation for him and his coach Dianne Sheppard to train with Noah Lyles in January, before returning to school in February and racing some key races on the domestic circuit.
Terrell Thorne: Record Breaker
Imagine again, running under 46 seconds for 400m as a schoolboy and not being the star of the meet?
Nonetheless, Queensland’s Terrell Thorne capped an unforgettable Championships by smashing the Australian Under 18 400m record on the final day of the three day meet. His 45.64 second run erased Paul Greene’s 1989 mark of 45.96 and underscored Thorn’s dominance, coming just months after his top-eight finish at the World Under 20 Championships in Lima. Thorn’s smooth, commanding race showed maturity beyond his years, as he closed his under 18 career in style.
“That’s my last race for this year, so it was my last chance to get the Australian Under 18 record,” Thorn said.
“It was pretty nerve-racking, but it’s great to get it.”
Thewbelle Philp and Amaya Mearns: A Sprinting Rivalry
Queenslanders Thewbelle Philp and Amaya Mearns lit up the Championships with their rivalry in the Under 17 Girls’ 100m and 200m, sharing the honours. Philp’s Day One 100m victory in 11.38 (+1.5) made her the third fastest Australian Under 18 sprinter of all time (behind only Raelene Boyle and Torrie Lewis), while Mearns, who suffered a hamstring injury earlier this year, turned the tables to take the 200m crown on Day Two, clocking a sensational 23.15 (+0.9) to set a Championships record.
“It’s amazing to share the podium with Thewbelle. She’s such a great competitor,” Mearns said after their duel in the 200m.
Izobelle Louison-Roe: The All-Rounder
New South Wales star Izobelle Louison-Roe was one of the Championships’ most versatile performers. Competing across four events, Louison-Roe secured three golds (Triple Jump, Long Jump, and High Jump) and one silver (100m Hurdles). Her standout moments included a 1.80m clearance in the High Jump and a Triple Jump of 13.24m. The 18-year-old World Under 20 medallist showcased the depth of her talent and competitive edge.
Mason McGroder: Flying High
In the Under 17 Boys’ Long Jump, Mason McGroder showed again that the the eight-metre barrier is on the horizon, leaping 7.86m (+2.4) to claim gold and shatter the meet record by 36cm. The 16-year-old, already a World Under 20 medallist, continues to inch closer to Darcy Roper’s 8.01m Australian junior record.
