The teenage sprinting phenom blasted onto the world stage in December when he broke the Australian 200m sprint record set by Peter Norman 56 years ago at just 16 years of age. And the 17-year-old once again scorched the athletics track over the past weekend with a pair of sizzling 200m times at the Queensland athletics championships in Brisbane. On Sunday, the 17-year-old dominated in the heats, with his 200m run clocking 20.05, the fastest recorded time over 200m this year – eclipsing Zimbabwe’s Makanakaishe Charamba 20.13 in Texas last month. He backed it up with an unbelievable 19.98 in the final – although it won’t count in the record books due to the tailwind being too strong. But regardless it showed just how much of a star the teenager is. Watch the biggest Aussie sports & the best from overseas LIVE on Kayo. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. However, instead of getting behind the Australian superstar, some chose to question his age while other disgraceful comments questioned his nationality. The outlandish claims about Gout – which news.com.au has chosen not to publish due to their vile nature – flooded various social media pages and led Steffenson to publicly throw his support behind the Queensland young gun. Social media posts published by news.com.au over the weekend also had to be taken down due to the disgraceful comments. In an exclusive interview with news.com.au Steffenson hypothesised that the critics were grasping at straws, unable to comprehend or appreciate just how incredible Gout is at such a young age. “They can’t believe an Australian kid is putting the world on notice,” Steffenson said to news.com.au about the allegations hurled at Gout. “It is funny I think that people are questioning him. I think it’s hilarious because essentially what they are saying is his performances are so good that they have to reach to find a reason for it not to be true. “But my advice for him and his team is to use it (the questioning) as a positive. “Go ‘Ask as many questions as you want because yes I’m Australia, yes I am a young kid and yes I have put the whole world on notice’. “Because you’d be an absolute muppet to question how good he is and how good he can be.” Gout Gout has gone from a name only a few in the athletics community knew 12 months ago to a household name as footage of him destroying his opposition continues to go viral online. Steffenson says it is hard not to get carried away by just how good he looks, and the 42-year-old believes Australia needs to appreciate just how great of a talent we have on our hands. “I think ultimately that’s what is exciting everybody,” Steffenson said. “He is fun to watch. It is at the point where it’s just fun and exciting and the world is on notice and really Australia haven’t had a legit sprinter since Matt Shirvington, Patrick Johnson and Peter Walsh and they haven’t done what this kid is doing. “Gout Gout has done this at just 16, 17 and even if nothing happens from here what Gout Gout has done has set up Australian sprinting for the future. “We should be in debt for the work he has done because he’s given us some belief that we can compete again with the best in the world.” Steffenson says the whole world is worried about him taking over the sport and he believes come Brisbane 2028, Aussies may be able to witness another Cathy Freeman moment. “When I speak internationally everyone is curious about him and even more importantly every young boy and girl in this country that has seen what he is doing now has that seed of belief that they can do it and it is priceless for our sport,” Steffenson said. “He is doing all the right things so without a doubt the world is his oyster and we as the Australian public should give him time, enjoy what we are seeing, celebrate that he is an Australian and that we have Brisbane Olympics in our backyard and come then potentially he is lining up and we are cheering him home in another Cathy Freeman moment.” Gout will next be able to impress Australia again at the Maurie Plant Meet in Melbourne on March 29.