BRISBANE, Australia (AP) 鈥� says he’ll have to withdraw from the world junior championships after straining his hamstring in training, a decision that takes one of the rising stars of track and field out of next month’s meet.
鈥淯nfortunately I suffered an injury to my left hamstring last night at training in Brisbane,鈥� the on Instagram on Thursday. 鈥淚 received this morning the MRI report, unfortunately the news is not good and I will not be able to compete in Eugene.鈥�
Gout said his focus now was on rehabilitation for the hamstring tear and he planned to 鈥渃ome back in 2027 better and stronger and faster.鈥�
鈥淚 have no other possibility but to accept this situation. I understand this is part of athletics.鈥�
Gout has already spent time training with and has set an international record faster than Usain Bolt could produce at the Under-20 level. He was a strong favorite for gold at the Aug. 5-9 world juniors in Eugene, Oregon.
He was due to compete in the 200 meters 鈥� he already holds the under-20 world record in that event 鈥� and was part of Australia鈥檚 4×400 relay team.
while still a student at high school.
He set the quickest 200 time ever by a 16-year-old when he broke Australia’s long-standing open record with a time of 20.06 in 2024.
In April, Gout won the Australian title in 19.67 seconds, taking 0.02 off Erriyon Knighton鈥檚 world under-20 mark of 19.69 set at Eugene in 2022. It was the first time that Gout had gone under the 20-second mark officially, after a wind-assisted 19.84 last season.
That time in Sydney was better than Bolt鈥檚 time of 19.93 in 2004. Bolt was 17 when setting what was then a world junior record and never bettered that time as a teenager.
Athletics Australia said it was important for Gout to take the time to 鈥渞ehabilitate, recover and return.鈥�
鈥淕out has had a phenomenal couple of years, and has a long and exciting athletics career ahead of him,鈥� it added.
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