Gout can be in the history books, says Olympic champion Tebogo

Australian schoolboy sprinter Gout Gout can become one of the top track athletes in history but should be not be rushed into competing with "hungry" senior rivals, Olympic 200 metres champion Letsile Tebogo said yesterday.

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Gout, 17, has earned comparisons with Usain Bolt after eye-catching runs over the past year, including a windassisted 19.98 seconds in the 200 at the Queensland state championships this month.

Gout will run the 200 again at the Maurie Plant meet in Melbourne on Saturday but there will be no showdown with Botswana's Olympic champion as Tebogo eases into the season with a run in the 400.

Tebogo is nonetheless interested to see how Gout performs in the open category following his dominance in junior events.

"He can be good enough, he can be one of the best, he can be in the history books," Tebogo told reporters at Lakeside Stadium in Melbourne yesterday.