How is it running against – and losing – Gout Gout? Not miserable as you would think

Leigh backpacks, 18 years old, who arrived second with a time of 22.10, is making an apprenticeship by Panel after leaving the school last year. He says that running against Gotta is pushing him to continue running.

“My goal is obviously the fastest,” he says. “I don’t really care if it is the fastest at the current time – I will continue to improve.”

Wally Plath, the coach of Liam Atkinson – who arrived third in a time of 22.12 – says that if you remove the gout “of great talent” off the pitch, there have been other success stories that day.

The eighteen -year -old Atkinson, for example, grew to train on dirt roads in a cattle station six hours west of Cairns and did not work on a track up to a school carnival of the year, did not qualify for the North Queensland regional final in September. In the state final, third has arrived, more than half a second shade for a better staff assisted by the wind.

James Culley, who arrived fifth in 22.91, says that he and other competitors love to run against gout because it acts as a “pilot”, pushing them to faster performances.

Culley’s mother, Fiona, admits that parents’ obligations can be forgotten in the excitement of seeing the Gotta race.

“Sometimes I follow the gout rather than James when I’m taking back, I move,” he says. “His flow is simply incredible.”

Brady explains that he feels “pulled forward” by gout. “I Have I run better when I run with him, “he says.

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Gout, already known for his emphatic celebrations, it is often compared For a teenager Usain Bolt – he is already running faster than Jamaican legend at the same age – but all his competitors speak a lot about his “humble” personality away from the track.

Leigh, for which the competition usually highlights a healthy animosity, claims to have a friendly exchange at the beginning of the race.

“I said” good luck “, and he said, also” good luck ” -” See you at the finish line “. It was a relief to hear him. He is a person too kind to hate,” he laughs.

All four athletes claim to have the intention of taking athletics as much as possible. Leigh and Atkinson, who will compete against Gotta in the Australian Athletics Championships of Perth next month, have their ambitions from the national team, even if Atkinson recognizes that gout could be a little closer at this time.

“Surely hope, because it’s going really well. It shows you where you have to be in a few years – it’s something to fight for.”