Gout Gout is yet to take on the world’s best and Zharnel Hughes believes it is too early to make any big predictions around the Australian until he has tasted top level competition
Zharnel Hughes says it is too early to make predictions about “very talented” Gout Gout because the teenage sensation is yet to take on the world’s best.
Australian Gout, 17, has run faster at his age than Usain Bolt managed during his formative years and will debut on the global stage over 200m at next month’s World Championships in Tokyo.
But Gout’s early flirtations with the senior ranks have been mixed. He was beaten by compatriot Lachlan Kennedy in his first senior race in the spring over 100m but clocked an Oceania record 20.02 by winning the Ostrava Golden Spike 200m in June.
And Hughes, the British record holder over 100m and 200m, believes the new kid on the block’s real ability cannot be gauged until he has competed in a high press environment.
“I hope to race him soon,” Hughes said. “That’s a fact but I don’t know if he really ran with the senior seniors as yet. He hasn’t really ran with the competition that we are working to be competing against as yet.
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“But he’s a good talent, I must say. He seems very talented. He has a very good top-end speed as well.
“So I wish him all the best when he comes to line up with us, then we’ll be racing each other.”
Hughes, however, insists that when the time comes to line up next to Gout he will not be driven to teach the youngster a lesson.
“No I’m not focused on who’s behind me or who’s ahead of me. I’m focusing on executing my own race,” he adds. “Obviously, it would be great to race against him. You know, there’s a lot of youngsters coming up through the ranks who have been performing well.
“So you can’t ignore what you’ve been seeing. You just know on the day you have to deliver and I, for sure, will be delivering.”
Vita Coco ambassador Zharnel Hughes hydrates with coconut water. Want to train with him in Jamaica? Enter the summer giveaway now at www.vitacoco.co.uk
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