‘Earning his stripes’ – Gout Gout defended after claim of him ducking Noah Lyles

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Justin Gatlin has backed Gout Gout’s decision not to race in the 200m against Noah Lyles in Monaco.Australian starlet Gout is one of the most exciting sprinters in world athletics and has been tipped to make history on the track.Gout excelled in the 200m once again in MonacoGettyThe 17-year-old travelled to Monaco earlier this month and ran 20.10 in a non-Diamond League U23 200m race.Gout beat a strong headwind to set the impressive time but did not take to the Diamond+ race at the Stade Louis II.Lyles, who won gold in the 100m at the 2024 Paris Olympics, raced a season’s best time of 19.88 to win in the 200m.There was a sense that Gout may have ducked Lyles but Olympic gold medallist Gatlin has defended the teenager’s decision not to run.“I didn’t like that it happened that way, but I think he kind of did that because he probably wouldn’t have got a preferable lane in that heat,” sprinter Rodney Green said on Ready Set Go.“He wasn’t going to get a lane… He probably prefers [lane] five, six, seven, eight or nine, one of those lanes. His agent couldn’t negotiate it, so he’s like, ‘We just run in another race.'”Gatlin replied: “I like the fact that he didn’t run in the big dog race, I like that. Because, we know what he can do, you know what I mean?“And of course, at some point in time we want to see him measure up against the big dogs. “If he’s going to go out and make his Australian team and go to world championships, there ain’t no running then.“You’ve got to race the big dogs at that point in time but until then, go out there and run. He ran 20.10, he went 20.10 in Monaco. That would’ve measured up right there with them dudes in the big race.”Lyles won the main 200m race, but Gout did not compete alongside himGettyBut Gatlin has dismissed the idea of him ducking LylesReady Set Go YouTubeGatlin added: “I’m only saying that because me and Bernard grew up in an era where we raced in B races. “Not saying that this would happen, but if you run fast enough in a B race, you can get that pot that was in the A race if you race everybody there. “So, you’ve got to be able to earn your stripes and move your way up. I feel like him being at those races and maybe not facing off against those guys just yet, is him earning his stripes and him saying, ‘OK…’“What if he did jump in that race Rod, and then he gets fifth, right? First time overseas, never been to Monaco, those are all excuses.”Speaking in Monaco earlier in July, Gout explained his decision and said: “I didn’t compete in the main race because I just want to slowly get used to it.“There is no point putting me in big races when I am running at the world championships. The goal now is to go out there and have a little bit of fun.”Gout looks set for sprinting stardom and a stellar careerAFPGout recently ran 20.02 at the Ostrava Golden Spike event to set a new personal best.He is predicted to beat the legendary Usain Bolt’s world record times in the 100m and 200m, with the latter standing at 19.19.