The family of Peter Norman have an important message for Gout Gout after he broke the champion Olympian’s 200 metre Australian record
The family of Peter Norman are not sad that his long-standing 200 metre sprint record has been broken by rising teenage sensation Gout Gout, instead delivering the 16-year-old an important message.
Gout Gout, who has been compared to world record holder Usain Bolt at the same age, broke Norman’s 200 metre record at the Australian All School Athletics Championships in Brisbane on Saturday.
Norman was a silver medalist in the 200 metres at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, setting an Australian record of 20.06 seconds.
He is widely remembered for standing in solidarity with Tommie Smith and John Carlos during their Black Power salute on the medal podium by wearing a human rights badge.
Norman’s career also included multiple national championships in the 200 meters and 100 meters.
However Norman’s 56-year-old national 200m record was beaten on the weekend with Gout Gout delivering a stunning time of 20.04 seconds, edging Norman’s previous record.
Gout Gout, 16, broke Norman’s long-standing 200 metre record at the Australian All School Athletics Championships in Brisbane
Norman (left) surges for the silver medal at the Mexico City games where he set a record that stood for 56 years until Gout Gout broke it
Gout Gout has been compared to world record holder Usain Bolt at the same age
Now Norman’s surviving family members have taken to social media to praise Gout Gout for his efforts, including Norman’s daughter Sandy.
‘Congratulations Gout Gout from one of Peter Norman’s daughters and the rest of our family,’ she posted.
‘Dad would absolutely have loved this.’
Norman’s nephew, Matt, also heaped praise on Gout Gout for his historic run.
‘Today is one of the proudest moments of my life,’ Norman said.
‘Australia’s very own Gout Gout has just broken my uncle Peter Norman’s record which has stood since 1968. I am writing to him personally to congratulate him. Wow what a star.’
Before Saturday’s incredible run, Gout already had the under-16, under-18 and under-20 national records in his keeping.
Now that he has the open standard, greater goals such as a world-class sub-20 seconds for the 200m and sub-10 seconds for the 100m are on his mind.
Norman was famously on the podium when US athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos protested racial discrimination at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics
Gout Gout celebrates his recent success with his mother after breaking the 200m record
‘It’s definitely great. I’ve been chasing that record,’ Gout said.
‘It’s pretty crazy. Right now I can’t process it, but tonight when I go to bed and think about it it will be pretty crazy for sure.
‘These are adult times and me, just a kid, I’m running them, so it’s definitely going to be a great future for sure.’
Athletics Australia general manager of high performance Andrew Faichney said there was no ceiling for what Gout Gout could achieve.
‘He’s a great talent and is being nurtured well by his coach Di Sheppard as well as our high performance system,’ Faichney said in a statement.
‘His silver medal at the World Under 20 Championships already showed us that he has what it takes to compete internationally.
‘The world is his oyster and we look forward to seeing what he can do over the next few years as he makes his mark on his first senior teams.’
Gout, who has been compared to champion Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt at the same age, revelled in all the hype.
‘I’ve been getting pressure. My video went viral right before world juniors,’ Gout said on Saturday.
‘You know what they say, pressure makes diamonds. I’m better than a diamond right now.’
