Noah Lyles beats Gout Gout in world-best time for 150m sprint
Gout Gout made a stunning recovery days after struggling on his European debut and finished third, just behind world champion Noah Lyles, who broke the world record.
This time Gut Gut looked like Gut Gut. Overcoming the rare hybrid distance of 150 meters at the Ostrava Golden Spike event in the Czech Republic, the teenager ran a national record and personal record of 14.96. Lyles won the world record with a time of 14.67.
“This was definitely the race I needed after Oslo and I’m happy to get it and I’m ready for more.” Gut sang Straight At It to Mitch Dyer.
“Usually when I get off to a bad start it’s hard for me to bounce back, but today I got off to a good start and brought it home.”
Unlike last week when the track swallowed him straight at home, this time Gout came off the track.
He got stronger in his first Diamond League meet in Oslo last week and couldn’t find the gear as he ran the 200 meters in a sluggish 20.6 seconds.
This race in the Czech Republic was more like the Gut race. He came from deep down the field after the corner and pinned Lyles in the final 50 metres. He never starts well, but his trademark is keeping the pace in the second 100 metres, moving sharply through a tiring field, where he continues to approach the line despite the new world record holder.
What if it were a 200-meter race against Olympic star and training partner Lyles?
On the other hand, the pair, who have trained extensively over the past two years and are clearly friends, with Lyles mentoring adidas’ young partner, celebrated together, clapping hands and high-fiving with obvious joy. Gout relief was evident after the experience in Oslo.
The race is expected to go a long way towards silencing harsh critics, particularly those in the US, who talk nonsense about the world junior record holder’s continued form away from Australia. But the social media critics Gout has attracted rarely rely on facts.
Criticizing an 18-year-old world record holder in this way has always seemed offensive, and Gout’s Golden Spike effort shows just how weak that is.
It was a performance that will build huge confidence for the season ahead knowing that he did it against some of the best men in the world in a strong field at a major European event. He also knows he’s only getting stronger on the back end of his race, so he’ll be encouraged by what this could mean for the world juniors in Oregon, where he’s chasing gold in August.
In another outstanding performance, Australian Peter Bol set a new Oceania record of 2 minutes 15.13 seconds to win the 1000 meters against a high-quality field.
More to come
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Michael Gleeson is an award-winning senior sports writer specializing in AFL and athletics.Connect with: X or email.
