Jake MichaelsSep 17, 2025, 09:53 AM ET
CloseJake Michaels is a Melbourne-based sports writer who has worked for ESPN since 2013. He primarily writes on the AFL, but his assignments have taken him all around the world, covering everything from Formula One to Grand Slam tennis, championship boxing to international basketball, and the Olympic Games.
TOKYO — A certain star of the future. But very much a star of the present. Australian sprint phenom Gout Gout punched his ticket to the semifinals of the men’s 200m at the world athletics championships on Wednesday evening, cruising to third place in his highly anticipated heat.
Despite admitting to butterflies in the stomach ahead of his first major international race meet, the 17-year-old demonstrated both maturity beyond his years and scintillating speed in his opening run at the Japan National Stadium. Gout clocked a 20.23s, trailing only Jamaica’s Bryan Levell (19.84s) — the third-quickest in the world this year over 200m — and Zimbabwe’s Makanakaishe Charamba (20.06s).
Gout was slightly tardy off the blocks and was quickly reeled in by Levell on his inside. But by the time the field had straightened for home, he was at full flight, arms pumping and creating space between himself and those desperately attempting to prize away his third place position.
“The start is obviously not my strong suit, but as soon as I get into my running, I’m chilling,” said Gout, shortly after stepping off the track. “Everyone wasn’t up against me apart from the top two, so I just hit cruise control [over the] last 50m, last 30m.
Gout Gout finished third in his heat at the world championships. Emilee Chinn/Getty Images
“It feels pretty good. I mean, it’s great to be out here competing on the world stage. It’s a great experience for me, running against the big dogs. I’m happy to be here and can’t wait for the semi.”
As one of the three quickest in his heat, Gout automatically advanced to Thursday evening’s semifinals. His time was the 12th-best across the six heats. Among those to post a quicker mark was reigning American 100m Olympic champion Noah Lyles (19.99s), who is one of the favourites to win gold.
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Gout arrived at these championships in Tokyo as the 20th-fastest in the world over the 200m distance this year, having posted a national record 20.02s at the Golden Spike Ostrava in June. Everyone that’s gone quicker than him is at least three years his senior.
The Queenslander has long been hailed a sprint prodigy, consistently likened to athletics megastar Usain Bolt due to his similar upright sprinting action and powerful finishing ability. Both traits were on full display during his heat in Tokyo.
It continues an impressive season for the Ipswich Grammar schoolboy. In March, Gout won the under-20 Australian 200m title in a wind-assisted 19.98s. A month later, he clocked a wind-assisted 19.84s to triumph in the senior Australian 200m final in Perth. Then he set that legal 20.02s, breaking his own national record by 0.02s. It is the second-fastest time ever posted by an under-18 athlete in the 200m.
Gout Gout in action at the 2025 World Athletics Championships. Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Gout will be joined in the 200m semifinals by fellow Australian Torrie Lewis, who was the runner-up in her women’s heat with a lifetime best run of 22.56s. Lewis, who also contested the women’s 100m semifinals earlier in the program, finished second behind Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith (22.40s).
For Lewis, it’s a second successive major championships semifinal appearance, having qualified for this same stage in the 200m at last year’s Olympic Games in Paris. She finished that race in seventh.
Also on night five, American Katie Moon took out the women’s pole vault title. Moon, who had co-won the event with Australia’s Nina Kennedy at the last world championships in Budapest, soared to a season-best 5.01m to beat compatriot Sandi Morris to gold. Later, Isaac Nader of Portugal won a gripping men’s 1500m final by just 0.02s from 2022 champion, Jake Wightman.
Here’s how night five at the world championships unfolded:
AloJapan.com