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Australia’s Gout Gout reacts after winning the men’s 200M final at the Australian Athletics Championships in Sydney on April 12, 2026. (AFP)
Teenage Australian sprint star Gout Gout on Thursday pulled out of next month’s World Athletics U20 Championships after suffering a serious hamstring injury in training.
The 18-year-old has set the athletics world alight with a series of scorching runs.
He won the 200m at the Australian championships in April in 19.67sec, faster than Usain Bolt at the same age, and made his Diamond League debut last month in Oslo.
Gout chose to skip the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this month to focus on the under-20 world championships at Eugene in August, but his season has come to an abrupt halt.
“Unfortunately I suffered an injury to my left hamstring last night at training in Brisbane,” he said on Instagram.
“I received this morning the MRI report, unfortunately the news is not good and I will not be able to compete in Eugene at the world U20 championships next month.”
Gout said the scans revealed a grade three tear, which typically takes months of rehabilitation.
“My focus now will be on my rehab in the coming weeks and months and ensuring I come back in 2027 better and stronger and faster,” he said.
Athletics Australia said it would support him in his recovery.
“Gout has had a phenomenal couple of years, and has a long and exciting athletics career ahead of him,” a spokesperson said.
“While this will be disappointing for Gout himself as well as his many fans, unfortunately injuries are part of the sport.
“It is important that he takes the time to rehabilitate, recover and return to the track to compete when he is ready.”
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