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Gout Gout continued his dominance in the outdoor season at the Australian Athletics meet. The 200m final raised a huge anticipation among fans as Gout Gout was set to go head-to-head against Lachlan Kennedy, who defeated him in March 2025 at the Maurice Plant meet. However, the race had a completely different outcome, and Kennedy's gesture at the finish line won a lot of appreciation from fans.
The 17-year-old stormed through the 200m final to win the title with a +2.2 wind-assisted 19.84s performance. On the other hand, Lachlan Kennedy, who was set to step up the competition with a tough fight, was disqualified due to a false start, leaving Gout Gout to win the race with a formidable lead.
The X account Track& Field Gazette shared a video capturing the moment where Gout Gout was celebrating his victory, Lachlan Kennedy came up to the finish line and embraced him in a hug while congratulating him on the remarkable run.
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This gesture won a lot of hearts, and fans expressed their thoughts on social media about the display of camaraderie on the track.
"I always say athletics is a camaraderie sport. You should see the pole vault guys celebrating each other with every clearance. ❤️ love this sport!" wrote a fan.
"Our Egos so big in the US, this ain’t happening. AUS is putting together a sprinting quartet nice and quietly. Hope they do World Relays. If not, WC for them this year will be up!" another fan chimed in.
"Wow that’s amazing. Big ups to both!" tweeted another fan.
Here are some more fan reactions:
" It was amazing to witness Got a standing ovation from me," wrote a fan.
" Lachie got DQ 😱 shame! That was going to be another ripper race no doubt! Great sportsmanship by Lachie 👏" tweeted another fan.
" Great sportsmanship Aussies ✅👍," another fan chimed in
Gout Gout opened up about losing to Lachlan Kennedy at Maurice Plant Meet
Gout Gout expressed his thoughts about losing to Lachlan Kennedy at the Maurie Plant Meet in an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald. The Australian athlete revealed how losing the top spot motivated him to improve his performance and work even harder.
He expressed his goal to put forward a stronger performance in the Nationals and hoped to work on his start as well as the starting leg of the race.
"People will say, winning feels great, second is bad. And today feels even worse. So, coming second is something you can experience, and it definitely puts fuel to the fire and it lights that burn. So when I get into training, [I’ll] work even harder and be better for nationals. My closing speed is my gift, so it’s definitely just about building my first 100," he said.
Gout Gout hoped to improve his performances as the season progressed and be prepared for the pressure that is associated with competing on the global stage.
