Australian sprint sensation Gout Gout rules himself out of Commonwealth Games 2026

Australian sprint sensation Gout Gout has opted out of Commonwealth Games (CWG) 2026, according to reports.

The 18-year-old sprinter will skip the Commonwealth Games, set to take place in Glasgow from July 23 to August 2. Instead, he will focus on the World U20 Championships which will be held in Eugene, Oregon, USA, from August 5 to 9.

“It’s (Commonwealth Games) is a great event and it’s one of those big meets where everyone loves (it), but looking at development, it’s definitely the better decision going for the World U20s,” he said to Channel 7’s Bruce McAvaney, as reported by SEN.

Gout won a silver in the 200m event at the previous edition of the World U20 Championships in Lima, Peru, in 2024. He also competed at the Senior World Championships in Japan last year where he reached the semifinals.

Di Sheppard, the Queenslander’s coach, said the tight turnaround between the two events was a major reason behind the decision to skip CWG. “We want him to be running in his late 20s. So, you don’t want to push the boundaries too soon. It’s just the fact they (Commonwealth Games and U20 World Championships) are so compacted.”

Australia’s Commonwealth Games team chef de mission, Petria Thomas, said she understood the teenager’s decision to opt out of CWG.

“Gout is a remarkable talent and although he won’t be in Glasgow, we hope to see him don the green and gold at a Commonwealth Games in the future,” Thomas said.

“I think it’s important that we all remember he is 18 and remains on the rise. He has a long career ahead of him and we respect his decision to prioritise the world under-20 championships as he builds towards a home Olympic Games at Brisbane 2032.’’

Published on Feb 08, 2026