Gout Gout's importance to World Athletics confirmed amid 'toughest challenge' warning Seb Coe has said teenage sprint sensation Gout Gout is already “hugely important” for athletics but has warned that the 16-year-old faces the “toughest” challenge in the sport by translating youth success into senior medals.
Gout has become an overnight star since running the fastest 200m by an Australian since 1993 with a time of 20.29s making him the fourth fastest youth of all time behind Erriyon Knighton, Usain Bolt and Puripol Boonson.
And World Athletics chief Coe, who has been outspoken in his attempts to modernise a sport that he describes as overly conservative, said his arrival on the scene is big news.
But taking an athlete safely, securely, mentally and physically from 18, 19, into the early 20s, that transition from junior into senior is tough.
Equally Coe pointed out that the attrition rate is high when it comes to the most talented juniors becoming successful at senior level.
