"Talents too choke"; "He will be fine" - Fans divided as Gout Gout loses in first senior race

Several fans shared their reaction as Australian athlete Gout Gout faced defeat in the 200m event during the 2025 Maurie Plant Meet. Gout's compatriot, Lachlan Kennedy, defeated him after clocking a season-best run time of 20.26 seconds.

Kennedy is coming after an impressive show at the 2025 World Athletics Indoors Championships in Nanjing, where he bagged a silver medal in the 60m distance and showcased his talent against Gout on Saturday.

Following this defeat, several fans shared their mixed reactions on social media. Some fans also called out Gout's defeat at important tournaments such as this one and the World U20 Championships (where he won a silver medal next to Bayanda Walaza). On the other hand, some fans also seemed content with Gout's performance in the event.

One of the fans commented on their X (formerly Twitter) handle:

"Gout is a problem Talents too choke"

"He will be fine. Gotta get used to the stage," remarked another.

"This is what happens when you run with decent competition. It's easy to run fast times when you are miles above your competition and there is no pressure," stated another.

Here are a few other reactions:

"Well done, Gout. Slowly but surely, stride by stride you will develop into your immaculate maturity where the world will be yours," remarked another

Another fan stated:

"Finally racing some competition. This is a good loss," mentioned another X user.

Gout Gout came into the competition at the back of a 200m victory at the Queensland Athletics Championships, where he touched the finishing line in 19.98 seconds. Notably, he also won the 100m race during this competition and emerged victorious at the Joanna Stone Shield and Sally Pearson Shield.

Gout Gout shares his feelings after a second-place finish at the 2025 Maurie Plant meet

Gout Gout at the Lakeside Stadium before his 200m race during the 2025 Maurie Plant meet (Image via: Getty Images)

Gout Gout shared his thoughts about his second-place finish at the 2025 Maurie Plant meet on Saturday (March 29). After his defeat to Lachlan Kennedy in the race, Gout said that the feeling of finishing second in a race is something that you need to experience because it lights a fire within the individual.

The 17-year-old also mentioned that after this defeat, he will put more effort into his training sessions before the Australian Nationals, scheduled next month (April 4-13). He said (via The Sydney Morning Herald):

"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."

During the interview, Gout Gout also said that he trains every day for the loud cheers in the stadium and the pressure associated with this sport.