Gout Gout's agent left him almost speechless with financial admission
Gout Gout didn't realise the impact of his sprinting career until his agent told him about a lucrative endorsement deal that Adidas came a-knocking with, which has changed his life forever
Gout Gout couldn't quite believe it when his agent revealed that Adidas had came calling with an endorsement deal worth millions. The 17-year-old sprinter has made waves over the past couple of years in the world of athletics, shattering the Australian men's U18 200m record at his nation's Junior Athletics Championships two years ago with a time of 20.87 seconds.
Meanwhile, in December 2024, the youngster secured the second-fastest U18 time in the same discipline at the Australian All Schools Championships, crossing the line in 20.04s. Not only did this time surpass the one that eight-time Olympic gold-medalist Usain Bolt achieved during his own younger years, but it also broke the Australian and Oceanian record set by Peter Norman in 1968.
But it seems as though Gout Gout didn't quite understand the impact he had until interest from big-name brands arrived. A few weeks after his record-breaking feat, the youngster was told about a long-term deal with Adidas that is thought to be worth millions in the coming years.
And speaking to GQ, Gout Gout explained that he was left almost speechless when his agent, James Templeton, told him how much he was set to receive as a result. He explained: "JT told me how much they were willing to pay to get me on their side.
"It was crazy. The number kept getting higher and I realised how much these companies think I'm worth. But that sponsorship really helps you get to the next level because obviously you need the money to travel and to train.
"Especially since I'm at school, so I don't need to go and find a job at Maccas or whatever to put fuel in my car. It definitely helps a lot."
Elsewhere in his interview, the young sprinter showed his true colours by humbly revealing his biggest purchase since finding fame and fortune, while also sharing his long-term plans to help look after his family.
He added: "I've saved a lot and I bought myself a new car when I got my Ps, so that's probably the biggest purchase I've made so far. I haven't gone crazy."
A child of seven to his parents Bona and Monica, who fled South Sudan to resettle in Australia two years before he was born, Gout Gout added: "Long term, I'd like to set myself up and set my family up."
While the sprinting prodigy may be a little while away from making waves at the Olympic Games, he has already left a sizeable mark in short-distance running. He achieved a silver medal at the 2024 World Championships in Lima in the 200m, while he settled for a fifth-place finish in the 4x100m relay of the same tournament.
And as a result, Gout Gout has seen himself compared to Jamaican legend Bolt time and time again. However, keen to make a name for himself, the prodigy has admitted that the comparisons can get a little tiring.
He told Nine last year: "My stride length is pretty long, my knee height is pretty high and just the amount of tallness I get when I'm running. I'm just me trying to be me.
"Obviously, I do run like him. I do sometimes look like him, but obviously, I'm making a name for myself, and I think I've done that pretty well. I just want to continue doing that and continue to be not only Usain Bolt but continue to be Gout Gout."
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