IT JUST GOT EVEN CRAZIER... || World's Fastest Teenager Just Broke Track & Field

[@thehumanracehasfailed]

Gout is wise to take the money now while he can. He's 16 years old, and as long as he's wise with the money, he's already set for life. You never know what might happen with sports. Injury, accidents, or disease can wipe out your ability at any moment, and of course, there's always the possibility that he's already peaked (I don't think so, but it's possible). With sports, anything can happen. My athletic career was cut short at 21 due to knee injuries I never saw coming. I'm glad he took the money now.

[@thabzmad7265]

This is a sponsorship, it's not purely money upfront or monthly. It also has among other things: conditions, events qualification ( participant clauses and win bonuses), attire, product promotions ( advertising) , flights ( and general transport costs which may include car hires or even courtesy cars), accommodation and appearances all laid out over the next 10 years or so attached to it. No one is paying someone to take them off the market and only for them to sit at home. Insurance will then cover for instance where he gets injured/sick and loses those appearance and competition fees. Come to think of it, it makes sense why Noah Lyles was quick to publicize that he had COVID, probably to claim some sort of performance loss clause! The virus must have been godsent to him at the time!

[@gustaaf1892]

Peaked at 16? Not a chance.

[@Taetae-ss8cx]

@@gustaaf1892 Has happened before we see a youth running crazy speeds then fall off the face of the earth

[@trevorregay9283]

@@gustaaf1892 it happens......never say never.....

[@gustaaf1892]

@@trevorregay9283 Nah, too many factors say that he will inevitably get faster. He hasn't yet been exposed to elite coaching, his starts will likely improve significantly, he will get stronger, and he hasn't stopped growing yet. Those are probably the most obvious factors. Furthermore, he probably hasn't started to use PEDs yet.

[@RiqMoran]

Another way to look at it: this contract ensures he has absolutely everything he needs to develop and it ends when he theoretically should enter his prime. If he's in his prime at 24, then he'll sign a much bigger contract.

[@hiz24airness]

It breakdown to $250k per year. But I guess there's not much money in track.

[@crosslink1493]

Gout Gout. I wonder if there are performance bonuses above and beyond that $6M, such as new national records, Olympic and World titles (Jr titles, too) and world records. You mention him being in the Brisbane Olympics in 2032, but with those times he's running he'll most certainly be in the 2026 Los Angeles Olympics.

[@TesfaHoff-ti1ex]

LA Olympics is in 2028 dawg, not 2026

[@realalbertan]

He is from Brisbane's suburbs too

[@UncleSheev]

@@realalbertanhe’s from Ipswich not Brisbane

[@XDF745]

@@UncleSheev Close enough.

[@xavier7356]

Agreed. I doubt there are doubt there are enough Australians faster than him to keep him off of the Olympic team. If he was from the U.S... it may be a different story.

[@thedailystride5407]

Gout Gout deserves that cash and then some. If he had waited a year he probably would have doubled that amount. Either way happy for him and can’t wait to see him race

[@zk4761]

He should have waited.

[@MrVpassenheim]

Please list the other track and field athletes who make more than he does. Bet you can't.

[@adam-z9e2j]

@@MrVpassenheim you think gout makes the most money out of any track and field athletes in the world? 😂😂😂😂 pardon

[@thedailystride5407]

@ Noah Lyles, shacarri richardson, Jakob Ingebrigtsen, Kenny bednarek, Christian Coleman, Sydney McLaughlin…

[@Toetothunder]

@@zk4761nope, gotta strike while the iron is hot. If he lives up to his potential there’s always the chance to renegotiate a better contract at the end of the current one

[@AllInTheGame01]

Guot Guot will be able to more than supplement that Adidas contract with a ton of endorsement deals if he hopefully goes on to make next yr's Tokyo WC 200m Final as a 17yr old 🤞

[@anyexpat]

Depends what his Adidas contract allows

[@Bprovo]

Not just his home country but his home turf. Ipswich is part of Greater Brisbane. I only wish I had taken the initiative to go and watch those races in person.....

[@malligrub]

His manager should be sacked immediately. If that’s over 8 YEARS… it’s almost criminal. Should never have signed anything beyond 2-3 years then renegotiated when he’s a pro

[@gustaaf1892]

Unless there are very significant performance based increases and bonusses written into that contract, that was indeed stupid to agree to such a long term deal. You'd only do that if you didn't have much confidence in the athlete.

[@XDF745]

Or even expiring 1-2 years prior to the Brisbane Olympics. If he becomes the biggest start of those games he's being ripped off massively.

[@anyexpat]

Yup its a horrible contract. Manager will get his 20% right now though. Anyone with sense woudl have run a very short deal to put a lump of cash in the bank then a new deal in 12 to 18 months when he is a solid sub 10/20 he might have had a shot at a GG Shoe range with Nike if his team had used a bit of sense. 6 million over 8 years is horrible

[@Your.Uncle.AngMoh]

His actual name is Guot Guot. An ad administrative cock-up had it changed. The Aussie national record was set by Peter Norman when he won the silver medal at the 1968 Olympics.

[@andrewmcalister3462]

His manager has confirmed he is happy to continue to be known as Gout Gout. Which is good, because I want to continue to describe his performances as “Goutstanding”. 😂

[@SugarBrams101]

You only knew that a week ago, all Aussies jump on a band wagon that they previously knew nothing about.

[@weekndxo3680]

Considering he still has a lot of development physically to go, I think the hype is warranted. Other fast teens in the past are often those that just develop ealier and faster!

[@emilstorgaard9642]

He looks developed to me. He's just a slender guy

[@k.alex.4885]

I hope he has a really good team around him at every level. Let's keep in mind that he's still a kid. 🏃‍♂️ 🏃‍♂️ 🏃‍♂️ 🏃‍♂️

[@bertskidmore5506]

Stop putting pressure on him Gout Gout is still only 16

[@anyexpat]

Pressure applied to great talent produces world records

[@englishgrammarguide]

He should NOT have signed more than a two-year deal. He would've made way more. De Grasse got $11 million.

[@xGshikamaru]

Honestly, 6 million is more than a majority of the population will earn during their whole career. Why would he need more ? Also in 2032 he'll be far from retirement and can negotiate a better deal, bar any serious injury. I see this as a win for everyone. Don't underestimate how much feeling secure for the next few years to come is worth.

[@coachRoome]

He’ll renegotiate it in a couple of years - if he progresses as expected. There’s no way Adidas will want to risk pissing him off and losing him to a rival in 2032.

[@XDF745]

@@coachRoome Can he even break the contract?

[@coachRoome]

@@XDF745 probably, with penalties. But it’s fairly standard practice to renegotiate if they’re not getting anything close to market value

[@coachRoome]

​@@anyexpat If he improves significantly he’ll be worth a fortune to whoever ‘owns’ him in 2032. Adidas will want to keep him and the only way to do that is to renegotiate before time…if they’re paying him 750k per year when he’s worth 7.5m he will want that money and he will get that money one way or another. Happens all the time. Managers get 5-10%. You think an agent only needs 5 clients to live their life?! And he isnt getting the full ticket upfront either.

[@Zaghzackio]

Bro sold the bag couldve made a lot more if he stayed patient

[@jaromor8808]

he can have multiple sponsors I believe...?

[@sandman1347]

@@jaromor8808 Not for sneakers and that's where the money is.

[@Hellothere854434]

@@jaromor8808 Not multiple shoe sponsors though, which will be one of his biggest sponsors in his career.

[@solomone6475]

2032? Wow they robbed him.

[@thedailystride5407]

Hey if you were 16 and they offered you 6 million for an 8 year deal I’m sure you’d take it too

[@jaromor8808]

I suspect this is not the only sponsor he can have

[@KeijonAutoVuokra]

They were making a massive investment on a new & unknown athlete. They make tons of these, and the few that succeed pay for those that don't.

[@everythingtv2325]

@@thedailystride5407honestly it’s robbery but I’d take 6m at 16 lol not many track athletes make that much 6 mill for 4yrs would’ve been a better deal cause in 4yrs will be 2028 which is the next Olympic and he could’ve proved himself by then to negotiate for better wages on his next deal but to have the deal renewed or end in 2032 he’d be 24 and most athletes don’t run well past 24 he’d better invest the 6 million 😂

[@haydosplays5624]

@@thedailystride5407 I would hope there is a clause in his contract where if he places above a certain level in world championship events or other world class events, he can look for better offers.

[@ghost245353]

I hope he is injury free and is able to renegotiate his contract. Heck, hopefully he earns enough to go against the contract and pay the penalty.

[@rm6902]

Gout Gout's manager is James Templeton, he has a background as a financial analyst and has managed numerous top world-class athletes including David Rudisha and Bernard Lagat - in other words he's no dummy on contracts and dealing with big companies. Australian press reports say he repeatedly held off Adidas until after the World U20s and stipulated GG stays with his family in Australia and doesn't move overseas. A quality manager for a quality athlete.

[@1111boone]

Hopefully, he will stay healthy!

[@gerhardstrydom5249]

Awesome to see such a talent run through the line, not celebraring 15m out line some others...💪👏

[@SanderBessels]

The 6 million contract could very well slow down or even end his progression. He has made it. He’s there. He doesn’t have to fight to the top anymore, because they treat him as if he’s already there.

[@jjsyphor8288]

take the money when you can, commit to the hard work and increase your worth by exceeding expectations they set for you. He's not the first "next bolt", you never know when you'll peak, when you'll crash or when or if you'll flourish.

[@CallsignEskimo-l3o]

As the numbers in his time go down, expect to see the numbers in his bank balance go up.

[@rm6902]

BTW part of the Adidas deal is GG will train in Florida with Noah Lyles and his coach for a few weeks during GG's school holidays - the value of gaining the experience has to be appreciated. Also Sports Business Journal estimated Lyles' 2024 contract with Adidas is worth $2M+ per year so those comments who thin $6M over 8 years for a 16 year old is "horrible" are probably being a bit unrealistic!

[@maluill]

6 million is actually really good! It only sucks if he becomes bolt in reality.

[@convid1941]

@maluill If he reaches that level he's worth 10X more at least.

[@anyexpat]

@@convid1941 Buy 2032 closer to 100x more

[@troyjankauskas8944]

I’d like to put some perspective on what Gout Gout means to Australian sprinting. I am 51 years old, former state champion high jumper and I’ve followed track and field my whole life. I didn’t even know who the previous 200m record holder was and for many years the only thing people in Australia could easily recall about Aussie sprinting was the size of Matt Shirvingtons package swinging while he ran. That’s how much Gout Gout means to Australian sprinting!

[@anyexpat]

If he means that much you might at least get his name correct

[@troyjankauskas8944]

@ you can call him whatever you like but in Australia he is and always will be Gout Gout. If that’s not good enough find the interview of him in his own words calling himself Gout Gout.

[@joeldriver-sp2rg]

You know what really helps with Gout Gout? Blueberries blueberries Ba ha ha ha He might want to consider a name change.

[@colincgc]

Let’s hope he keeps his head screwed on and he is protected by those around him… Harder to get out of silk pyjamas for training each morning when all your friends are out drinking with the girls and you already have millions in your bank account…

[@9cvp9]

Holy Speed. Just wait until he gets on the juice. This dude is gonna be insane

[@Haseeb2-q8d]

😢

[@GT3.00]

lol for real

[@MaoriViking]

6 million is the base line "loyalty" fee for an athlete of this type. His age and potential are factored in as is the potential risk of injury or any other form causes that may implied his development or performance. Under Adidas, he will has access to the very best sports med advice on the planet. He will also be given a team that will focus on his ergonomic and bio-mechanical requirements when designing and creating apparel and footwear for him. I would not be surprised if he has already chosen a US college to attend and with the NIL offerings in place, he is likely to be offered a substantial sum especially in a program that has the potential to rule of NCAA track events. I wish him luck as he is obviously a generational talent and I would love to see him reach his full, very scary potential :-)

[@UncleSheev]

You can’t race in the NCAA with a sponsorship

[@louiswilliams984]

@@UncleSheevbut you can play football and basketball with one? Make it make sense! 🤦🏾‍♂️ that should be changed immediately 😊

[@XDF745]

He has no intention of going to the NCAA.

[@1111boone]

Hopefully, he will stay healthy.

[@slade7612]

Hopefully, he will stay clean. That’s the biggest question mark.

[@RudolphUvofin]

I agree, for inspiration and entertainment value, these athletes need to be paid more.

[@JonathonGraves-qr3fb]

As a big distance/mid distance fan I was wondering if anyone knows who has signed with Grand Slam Track. Has any of the 800m runners signed on? What about Jakob? I know he wasn’t going to do the 800/1500 but will he do the 3000/5000? Why hasn’t any of the Kenyan or Ethiopian runner been signed on yet. If anyone knows if any of this information is out I would love to know.

[@AllInTheGame01]

Following Distance Athletes have signed to GST; Short Distance (800/1500m) Josh Kerr 🇬🇧 Yared Nuguse 🇺🇸 Cole Hocker 🇺🇸 Marco Arop 🇨🇦 Nikki Hiltz 🇺🇸 Jess Hull 🇦🇺 Mary Moraa 🇰🇪 Diribe Welteji 🇪🇹 Long Distance (3/5k) Grant Fisher 🇺🇸 Ronald Kwemoi 🇰🇪 Luis Grijalva 🇬🇹 Hagos Gebrhiwet 🇪🇹 Agnes Ngetich 🇰🇪 Tsigie Gebreselama 🇪🇹 Elise Cranny 🇺🇸 Nozomi Tanaka 🇯🇵

[@JonathonGraves-qr3fb]

Thanks. I knew that Kerr, Nuguse and Hocker had signed because of a interview but everything else was news to me.

[@AllInTheGame01]

@@JonathonGraves-qr3fb 👍

[@AllInTheGame01]

@@JonathonGraves-qr3fb 👍

[@pahtar7189]

I hope Gout Gout's contract also includes performance incentives that would make it much more lucrative if he performs as we all hope he will.

[@Nobody19442]

All pro contracts have time bonuses

[@drli8765]

Adidas biggest rival is Puma. Adidas believes Gout Gout is the next Usain Bolt whom endorsed Puma. They are eager to take The World's greatest sprinter title back from Puma.

[@BaardFigur]

I guess Gout Gout is GOAT

[@surunitemiakanni-oye4346]

Not yet. Maybe never. But he should be great.

[@garrywallace1007]

He is the all time 16 year old 200m GOAT and Australian 200m GOAT...its a start!

[@erikwigelandiestad2270]

An opt-out clause based on certain criteria’s in Gouts contact I guess. A smart manager has hedged this between securing funds and resources for development and a potential payday if he over performs…

[@streetfashiontv9149]

He's could have already peaked!

[@RyanPrentiss]

Guot Guot running like this with the gout gout is crazy! 🙃

[@cyclonutterd7075]

Just BTW, his name is actually Guot Guot - his parents are very upset about the mix up.

[@jollymolly2521]

I think you need to redo the math on the GST races. Sydney is competing in the Long Hurdles category - 400mH/400m;- and Paulino in the Long Sprints category - 200m/400m category. They're not necessarily competing against each other unless Sydney decides to do the Long Sprints category at some events and the Long Hurdles at others. And the $100,000 price is for the winner of the 2 combined races, ie, the "category," NOT for each race. Potentially Sydney could win $400,000 for all 4 Slams not $800,000 - although I'm sure her appearance fee will put it closer to the $800K mark. The good news for track athletes is - they're potentially going to make more money than WNBA players. The bad news is - that's still 150X less than NBA players. 😂

[@Leclicq]

They should have added an other 0 to that number…this time frame covers pretty his whole career as the fastest 200m times have been run by people under 24 year old. He should have started with a 4 year contract.

[@anyexpat]

Smart way is to take a 1 year or 18 month deal so that you have plenty of cash right now and when you are 18 with solid sub 10 /20 times you can get the huge deal. You want to the big deal as you are improving still as they are still bidding for world records / gold medals etc

[@wilhelmw3455]

I hope he can cope with the psychological side of the sport that comes with all this talk of multi million dollar contracts and being a potential all greatness of all time etc.

[@crosslink1493]

Financials in General - I sure hope it doesn't corrupt the system or make it focused on the $$$ for the promoters. Best example I can think of is college football here in the USA where media $$$ have given us the college football playoffs (vs the old bowl games of New Years Day with no official champ), the TV timeouts for broadcasted games, NIL deals for players, etc. It just ruined it all for me so much that I've stopped watching any college football.

[@marshalshawnthetheorist]

Soon they'll start asking them to sign the mojo famous mojo deal that a certain artist spoke about

[@charlesblithfield6182]

I hope the promoters don’t get to Gout Gout and push him too fast, bring PEDs into the mix, to much powerlifting, too much training, etc… he might be on track to exceed Bolts achievements but he’s just a kid. I also hope he doesn’t have a predatory team taking big cuts of his contracts and in doing so putting him on a path that pushes him too hard.

[@ElijahA2027]

Gout Gout is the goat fr💪🏻

[@nonjebusiness9581]

16 year old Gout gout is faster than pro woman sprinters😂

[@MrVpassenheim]

It's a bit rich to say that Gout Gout was undervalued for an 8 year $6 million contract, when hardly ANY track and field athlete can compete with that income and they have a far more storied/accomplished career. Gout Gout makes more money at 16 then Sydney McLaughlin does. That doesn't make sense.

[@jacobdoyle420]

You seem mad

[@stevelau7694]

If he does get to sub 9.7 and sub 19.4, he will be pulling in a lot of money than 6 million over his career. Not sure if he will challenge Bolt but definitely see him at least becoming a top 3 runner when he's close to his prime in another 5 years. Right now he's nowhere close to Usain bolt and would be left in the dust just like the rest of the crowd but at 16, there's no way he's close to his prime yet

[@arontung]

South Sudan is proud.

[@barneyrubble9309]

With that kind of money slopping around the temptation to cheat will be off the scale.

[@Haseeb2-q8d]

He should try to keep his ego in check though. I hope he keeps it up and not burn himself out. He is so young, anything can happen.

[@HunterThinker]

These larger prize purses may draw a few players from college before getting recruited by American football into the mix, as we lose many talented sprinters/throwers to it.

[@Tlonedyr]

What

[@gustaaf1892]

They wouldn't be able to compete. Different running style and different physique.

[@Tlonedyr]

@@HunterThinker You changed your comment

[@RiqMoran]

6 million for 8 years. Very low number IF he can become a sub 9.9 runner. But that's a huge risk to take on, as evidenced by the fact no one else bid that high. These bets rarely pan out, thats the reality.

[@anyexpat]

Thats a horrible contract. He should have signed only a short term deal to put some money in the bank for a year to 18 months and then when he reached 18 with sub 10 /20 times negotiated again like Jordan with Nike and gone for a GG Shoe and a share of sales. Nike needs a superstar to boost their flagging brand. A long term deal now is plain stupid esp at the rate of progress.

[@abdirazaqhussein3262]

That boy gonna hit growth spurt to Bolt's height or taller and his records might be broken

[@UncleSheev]

Bro he is 16 and 5”11, he’s not getting that tall

[@tybrady4598]

Wow! Great form! Great potential!

[@dakillabee13]

I’m sure Nike will found a way to get him out of that contract

[@audreydavis45]

This is a very big gamble. Remember the name Candace Hill? It's way too early for so much hype. Fast times as a junior does not necessarily guarantee a successful professional career.

[@choogafantastic]

This isn’t breaking news, nothing is ever guaranteed

[@TheTrailRabbit]

8 years? That's an eternity in sports. I want nothing but the best for this young man, but the amount of hype and pressure we're putting on 16 year olds is not healthy for athletes or fans.

[@surunitemiakanni-oye4346]

You should research and see what Jamaica and the world expected from Usain Bolt when he was coming up. It was out of this world! And the Americans hated him and feared him. The media tried every trick to downplay his achievements and insinuate he was on PEDs on every sports channel. Tyson Gay was literally running scared at the prospect of this Jamaican giant and 41 strides to gold with every race until the world championships, world records and of course the Olympics. History was made as he proved to be up to the task.

[@realalbertan]

He'll be 24 in 2032 for a home town Olympics

[@Edward-Slug]

That's it. Let's make these hard working, dedicated athletes a bunch of primma donna's and diva's purely out for the money rather than the glory.

[@abidenowel5005]

This young man was beaten by Bayanda Walaza but nothing will said about Walaza.

[@irallan]

6,000,000 million dollars is mot what he deserves..noone deserves that just for running fast. A god given talent.

[@gustaaf1892]

In some sports some athletes earn $1m per week. It is all relative.

[@mikeogden-y8i]

@irallan economics don’t care about reductive phrasing like “putting a ball through a hoop” or “just running fast”. People want to watch amazing athletes (you clicked on the video). Those people will pay to see the athletes in person. They will pay to wear the same clothes and shoes as the athletes, and the association with the biggest names lends credibility to the brand and their products that generates hundreds of millions in sales. That’s economics, not some mysterious president of money saying who “deserves” to be paid a certain amount.

[@misterben88]

8 yrs? Should be maximum 5 yrs

[@odavid2580]

3:36 pfff... its about damn time!

[@pork-techpty3078]

Just wait till he gets on the juice 🍊

[@sandman1347]

Big mistake signing such a long term deal. He will lose millions of dollars this way.

[@Bluemusic66]

Eric Pearce with the late news.

[@michealsizemore1]

The prize money is still trash compared to other sports. I get that people are not watching track and field like the NFL, but these athletes need to get paid. It's crazy to think that Lamar Jackson is getting 3 million a game...lol

[@surunitemiakanni-oye4346]

Leave Lamar out of this. MV3!

[@Good13man]

More money is good, but it’ll undoubtedly lead to more cheating.

[@gustaaf1892]

My thoughts exactly. It is probably already through the roof, but more money will encourage riskier cheating.

[@PhilMUK]

Can we have an Alex Yee running London Marathon video please?

[@JALEELC3]

I must be very immature at my big age of 28 or Lucas is just a better person than me because you not only slept with my sister you got her pregnant too 🙃. It’s over and done with FOREVER! Good thing I’m not him and he’s not me for the plot lol.

[@thomism1016]

How do Australian athletes train to peak during the northern hemisphere summer? 🤔🤷🏽‍♂️🤔

[@blasiosefu3605]

When will he run for South Sudan, he is ours.

[@XDF745]

He's never been to South Sudan.

[@josedelnegro46]

Nostradamus I say this again track and field has no drama, no mystery, and cannot be a sports bet unless there is a handicapped system. Everyone has the potential to beat everyone. For example the NBA was in a lock out a few years back. I wrote in comment sections that unless NBA players showed up again at major city parks and reestablished themselves on the playground after the lockout interest in the NBA would suffer. Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant went down to the Ruker and showed the fuck out! All of the talk about NBA players being soft and protected disappear. Next, what makes baseball the world's pastime, a ball hit with a bat in any form, is that in 9th enning most often the worse hitter on a team is facing the best pitcher on earth. I can call to the bullpen to get the best arm in the business but I cannot allow the best hitter to bat out of order. What I got is what I got. And if I run out of arms in extra innings I might have to bring in the back up short stop in to lob a few rounds a Babe Ruth. The fixed iron clad rules of base ball force player, fans, and managers to think...to strategize. Fan, do I want to catch a baseball flying directly towards me in the center field that is below the home run line in the World's Series. If I grab the ball it's worth at least 10,000 dollars but the opposing team is awarded a home run. That's drama! Baseball puts even the fans dead center in the drama. Football World Cup: the rules prevent the best player from dominating the ball in all areas of the field. Plus passing by foot is so uncertain that he worst player if he is lucky enough to be open for a split second must take any shot from reasonable range. Running and the NBA allow only the best runners on the track and only the best player to have the ball in his hands 90 percent of the time. Boring! Predictable! Make it so the best runners in the world must race anyone in the world and then you have drama. Have everyone who wants to run any given event. Have their effort evaluated. Have their time handicapped. Then they can run again anyone. Again give Tyreek Hill a head start or have Lyle run greater distance. Then and only then do you have an event that is worth watching and that a person can wager on. Think of football. Hill gets a head start each snap. Plus the defense back must run backwards. But the defense back has a cushion and the angle, plus the defense backs can gang tackle. Now, that is drama. If Lyle gives Hill his much deserved handicap at the Pro Bow you can pencil Track and Field into the next great spectacular sport. I have my editor of choice CHAT GPT to rewrite what I wrote and add counter arguments: Rewritten Version with Challenged Assertions and Analysis of Drama in Sports Nostradamus, I must reiterate: track and field lacks drama, mystery, and the unpredictability required to sustain interest as a betting sport unless a handicapping system is introduced. Challenge: Is this assertion fair? While it’s true that track and field competitions often feature the best going against the best under uniform conditions, this does not inherently remove drama. The tension of watching finely tuned athletes compete at the absolute limits of human performance can itself create compelling narratives. Does handicapping artificially manufacture drama at the expense of athletic purity? The Case for Competition Beyond the Elite In all sports, the potential for the underdog to triumph injects excitement. Consider the NBA during its lockout. I argued then that NBA players needed to prove themselves on public courts to preserve their reputations. When Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant electrified crowds at Rucker Park, they reaffirmed their dominance, silencing critics who claimed NBA players were soft or overprotected. Challenge: Does the occasional need for stars to validate their skills in informal settings undermine structured competitions? Isn’t the NBA’s allure precisely its combination of skill, strategy, and stakes? Playground games offer their own appeal but lack the rigor and narrative depth of professional leagues. Baseball: The Unpredictable Drama of Fixed Rules Baseball thrives on its structure, where every player, from the weakest hitter to the most dominant pitcher, has their moment. In the ninth inning, it’s often the weakest batter facing the best pitcher, creating natural drama. Managers can’t reorder the lineup to send the best hitter to the plate out of turn, and in extra innings, a team may even resort to using a backup shortstop as a pitcher. Challenge: Does this randomness and inflexibility make baseball more dramatic, or does it reflect outdated traditions? While fans appreciate strategy, could modernizing rules (e.g., designated hitters across leagues) enhance drama without compromising the sport's essence? Football (Soccer) and the Role of Uncertainty In soccer, the rules prevent any one player from dominating the game entirely. Passing requires precision and timing, so even the weakest player on the field can have a pivotal moment if they find themselves open for a shot. Challenge: Is unpredictability the same as drama? While soccer’s fluidity creates opportunities for the unexpected, it doesn’t always translate to thrilling narratives. Overreliance on chance might dilute the perception of skill. Why Track and Field Struggles with Drama Track and field often pits only the best runners against each other under identical conditions. This setup ensures fairness but removes the chaotic elements seen in other sports. Unlike baseball, where strategy is intertwined with performance, or soccer, where any player can influence the outcome, running is linear and leaves little room for surprises. Challenge: Does introducing handicaps (e.g., head starts or staggered distances) create genuine drama, or does it dilute the achievement of pure athletic excellence? Can artificial adjustments rival the authenticity of head-to-head competition? Handicapping as a Solution: Drama through Diversity Imagine Tyreek Hill racing Lyles but with Hill starting ahead by a few meters. Alternatively, let Lyles run a longer distance while Hill maintains his current event. Such adjustments could make track and field more engaging by introducing strategic variability. Similarly, in football, Tyreek Hill starts each play with a head start, while defensive backs must react with angles and teamwork to compensate. Challenge: Would these changes elevate track and field to the next great spectacle, or do they compromise the sport’s integrity? A handicapped system might create interest but at the cost of alienating purists who value the straightforwardness of the sport. --- Why Drama Doesn’t Require the Best vs. the Best in Even Contests The most dramatic moments in sports often arise from asymmetry-when underdogs challenge favorites or unpredictable variables disrupt a seemingly predetermined outcome. Real life is rarely a level playing field; success often hinges on overcoming obstacles, navigating imperfections, and adapting to uncertainty. Fixed contests between equals may showcase skill but lack the emotional highs and lows that resonate with human experience.

[@bellabana]

Adidas is a German company/brand and they pronounce it as add-de-das yet Americans always mispronounce it as a-dee-dis which is incorrect, it’s so annoying.

[@frankiethefrog1752]

I’ve never heard anyone in the states say it with a ‘DIS’ ending…. You’re clearly clueless.

[@MattAnyiwo]

I swear they be finding a way to repackage the same video over and over again 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫

[@GaryTornado-zy2mz]

Aussie Aussie Aussie Gout Gout Gout

[@tonygreen4074]

Woow, these crazy money will make Asafa Powell comes right back on the track 🤔💯💰💲💲💲

[@F4LKustoms]

Imagine if he also had an OF a mater an fac I think many mid level athletes could become rich

[@dbx1233]

Take the money and run.

[@jonathantoro3198]

I don't think track and field athletes get the money that they deserve.

[@youuuuuuuuuuutube]

Crazy how Usain Bolt is going to lose his GOAT status so soon.

[@slimfit767]

Keep dreaming

[@gamerdogleo2212]

Gout for the win!!

[@xavier7356]

$6M is not nearly enough

[@adielbenjudah1360]

Run Gout Gout, RUN! 😆

[@Redneck_Renaissance]

yeah, I'm gonna need to see a birth certificate...

[@tinfoilhat6343]

He was born in Australia. No trouble with a birth certificate.

[@Redneck_Renaissance]

@@tinfoilhat6343 thats what they said about Obama as well...and his was a fake.

[@gustaaf1892]

Do you think that Australia is such a backward country that official birth records are dubious? Australia is not like the Southern parts of the US in case you were wondering that. Australia is not Hicksville.

[@kennethwoods6525]

I thought you said $60 million not $6 million.

[@Zestlera]

Yk what else is massive.

[@stalliondave9338]

As long as he has a financial advisor to get investing early and do the right things with it, he can basically be set for life congrats brother. Young guys can be a bit silly with spending in their late teens and early 20's, i know i was, and regretted it later. Took ages to get myself out of the hole, truly wish the best for him.

[@keyvankazemi9205]

Goat Goat 😂

[@justinstephenson9360]

Diamond league 9th place gets $500. Pathetic. You are talking about world class athletes training throughout the year and they make in one race less than a decent plumber can make in a day

[@audreydavis45]

17 in 6 days' time.

[@m.f.1646]

He could be 18-20 yeras old already. You never know about these africans.

[@Gtslmfa0]

Is this business model even sustainable? Huge cash prizes with...... not a lot of viewers

[@The-infinite-eyes]

He's not 16 😂

[@stanlol.]

He is he was born in Australia so his birth certificate it’s not a fake one

[@The-infinite-eyes]

This guy looks 20.

[@stanlol.]

@@The-infinite-eyes they have obviously seen his birth certificate and he’s 16

[@The-infinite-eyes]

@stanlol. that can be faked.

[@Rxfaxel]

gout ran 10.04 in the 100m not 10.17

[@JayReeves-ql8cr]

Insane potential for this young man

[@FirelordTwinkyz]

you know when you use cheat codes in video games to run really fast but you still have the same normal run animation. ya that's Gout Gout, bro floats down the track

[@stuartjones3301]

milking one person for another video while saying nothing

[@considerthis7712]

Misleading caption.