On 26 October, the dynamic young sprinter Gout Gout, already the face of the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games, will compete for his school for the last time.
Regularly, I find myself in conversation about Gout Gout.
“Oh, you are from Queensland, do you know Gout Gout?”
“Do you know Di Sheppard?” (Gout’s coach)
“What is she really like?”
“Is Gout Gout the real deal?’
This Friday is the 108th annual ‘GPS’ – Great Public Schools – track and field championships in Brisbane: a nine boys’ schools association: six schools from Brisbane: Brisbane State High School, Anglican Church Grammar School (‘Churchie’), Nudgee College, Gregory Terrace, Brisbane Grammar School, and Brisbane Boys’ College (BBC), as well as The Southport School, Toowoomba Grammar School and Ipswich Grammar School.
The simple facts are:
In September this year, as a Year 12 student, Gout Gout represented Australia at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in the 200m in Tokyo.
As a Year 12 student, he qualified for the World Championship semi-finals.
In his semi-final, Gout was the youngest sprinter in the event by four years!
In December 2024 at QSAC in Brisbane, Gout Gout broke Peter Norman’s storied Australian 200m record, set at the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games. Norman won the Olympic silver medal, with the famous black power salute athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos placing first and third respectfully.
The last day for Year 12 students in Queensland this year is Friday 21 November.
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Before Gout Gout finishes his school days at Queensland’s third oldest school, Ipswich Grammar (established 1863), he will suit up in the distinctive red and white striped singlet for the last time.
At last year’s GPS track and field championships, Gout Gout won the open 400m in a record time of 47.57 seconds, in addition to three other record-breaking wins: 100m 10.36 seconds, 200m 20.86 seconds and 4x100m relay 41.81 seconds.
The GPS record book is an impressive read: for example, the open discus – record holder Matthew Denny 62.89m, 2013, Toowoomba Grammar School.
Matt Denny: Olympic bronze medallist.
Lachie Kennedy, the 9.98 seconds 100m man, was educated at St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace.
Respected Brisbane journalist Robert Craddock interviewed Gout Gout for last Saturday’s Weekend Australian and Courier Mail.
During my fifteen-year chapter at Brisbane Boys’ College, Robert Craddock’s son Xavier was a member of the GPS cross country squad. Xavier was dux of his year on several occasions, as well as being heavily committed to the music program. There seemed to be a correlation: academics, music and cross country running … discipline, discipline, discipline.
Elysse Craddock, Robert’s lovely wife, would bring water melon and oranges to Wednesday afternoon training for the boys to enjoy.
I recall during one of Xavier’s first cross country events, the All-Schools championships at Kedron High School, where I met Robert ‘Crash’ Craddock. Before I could tell Robert that I had long admired his writing, as well as his contribution on the ‘Back Page’ with Billy Birmingham and company on Fox Sports, ‘Crash’ was telling me how much he enjoyed reading my weekly cross-country emails!
With the benefit of hindsight, that is some of the best feedback I received during my 35-plus years at the coal face!
GPS sport certainly holds a special place in the communities of the nine member schools of the ‘Great Public Schools’ association.
When I arrived at Brisbane Boys’ College (BBC), I was incredibly fortunate to sit at the feet of one of the giants of GPS sport, Mal Staniforth, who is still a friend to this day. At Mrs Hansen’s request, Mal wrote a song for my fiftieth birthday celebration.
Mal was a giant of GPS sport, particularly track & field, for several reasons, including he was an exceptional sprints and hurdles coach, he had the gift of motivating young men to perform ‘on the day’, as well as being an archivist, and student of GPS sports history.
A rare mix indeed.
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One of my favourite moments as Director of Athletics at BBC was the epiphany I had one quiet morning during a September holidays, peak time in the preparation for GPS track & field championships: that vision being to name a trophy after Mal, the ‘Mal Staniforth trophy for Team Man of the Year.’ No staff member could have been more deserving.
Nudgee College’s giant was Peter Kropp, whilst Steve Hows was Brisbane Grammar School’s Mal Staniforth equivalent.
I respect all three of these men immensely.
The communities of these schools would not be the special dynamic they are without the passion and encouragement of the ‘Old Boys’, the past students.
One such character at Brisbane Boys’ College was the 1967 track and field captain, Tony Dempsey. I met Tony through the College archivist, another great human, Mrs Helen Jackson.
Tony was absolutely thrilled when he spoke to the track and field team at the pre-championship ‘captain’s run’. Tony was so proud to show the team his 1967 track suit top.
Earlier this year, I was beyond thrilled to be invited to a BBC Old Boys’ lunch, to both honour (and roast!) long serving BBC stalwart Wayne Banks.
Tony Demsey was at the lunch at the iconic Brisbane venue, the Regatta Hotel.
Later in the afternoon, long after the steaks had been enjoyed and as we continued to enjoy the red wine, Tony spotted me.
Part of our conversation was:
“Russel!”
“I heard you had moved interstate. I did not think I would ever see you again. Thank you again for all you did for this great College of ours.”
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GPS sport is special. The standards, the history, the communities of each of the nine schools.
As I look forward to watching the Open (in event sequence) 200m, 100m, 400m, and 4x100m on the live stream on Friday, I will also pause for a moment of gratitude, for my involvement in GPS sport at Brisbane Boys’ College.
What a privilege it was, alongside so may great people.
The premierships were great, truly great memories.
The people I met, even better … I was truly blessed.
About to be ‘affectionately’ mobbed after Brisbane Boys’ College wins back-to-back premierships in 2017.
Photo courtesy of Russel Hansen.
Barossa Valley Red Wine of the Week:
A rare item: Baby Face 2024 Field Blend
Rare: a small batch winemaker in Tanunda, the bottle presented to me by a great colleague who is also a NSW Blues State of Origin supporter, to mark Queensland’s series win earlier this year.
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About Russel Hansen
Russel Hansen Has worked in schools for over thirty years – as a teacher, coach, coach educator, sports coordinator and in pastoral care roles. Whilst at Brisbane Boys’ College as Director of Athletics, he led teams to six GPS premierships in track and field, and cross country. He has coached (athletics) at all levels from school to international. His squad at the University of Queensland (to January 2023) included Lachlan Kennedy OLY, Paris 4x100m relay runner, Australian record holder. He is married to Heidi, a Primary school principal, and is father to two adult daughters. Twitter: @Russel_Hansen
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RITV, I know you’re a big Oils fan so, in that spirit, I’ll say that I can feel ‘the power and the passion’ in this piece! SEQ’s GPS sporting fraternity is a particular ‘bubble’ which casts a certain aura, even to outsiders. It must have been really something to be a part of it. It’s a case of GPS first, then daylight to TAS.
This puts it all into perspective rally. A student comes home from the World Championships to prepare for the major private school athletics meet.
RITV, apart from my initial comment about the enormity of having Gout Gout running around in the GPS champs (remember when it was on the grass at Lang Park and was broadcast on ABC TV?) I must also make a couple of observations.
Peter Kropp is a legend. Kroppy and I were undergraduates together – he was doing HMS (Human Movement Studies) at UQ which has always been a leading Phys Ed and sports science school.
We both played for UQ in the local grade cricket competition. Kroppy was a gifted athlete and all-round sportsman. He was a tall fluid opening bowler. You could mistake him for Michael Holding – but only if you’d had a dozen rum and Cokes in the WEP Harris Pavilion. So, early one season, we’re doing the pre-match warm up and, pre-mobile phones, we realise that our keeper is late. A message arrives to say he’s ten minutes away. No-one wants to don the gloves and the nod comes in my direction. Kroppy is making them fly and we’re well back. He darts one in. It’s too quick for the batsman who doesn’t offer. It just nicks his thigh pad. The ball flies wide down the leg side and instinctively I dive full length and get the tip of a finger on it. It races away for four leg byes.
Oooh, that doesn’t feel too good. When I take the glove off my left pointer was at 45 degrees from the middle knuckle. Kroppy’s follow through has taken him well down the pitch. He keeps coming and looks at my finger. ‘Oooh, that’s not too good. I’ll put it back in for you.’
‘I don’t think it’s dislocated,’ I say as I’m storming towards square leg with Kroppy and eight teammates following. It was like a Benny Hill sketch.
Kroppy does the right thing and demands I stand still and demands it goes back in. No-one could get it back in.
My diagnosis was correct. It was broken, not dislocated. Shattered in fact. No operation, but six weeks in a splint in those days. All for trying to save runs off a ball that was called dead anyway!
Kroppy and I stayed in contact for many years – and your mention, RITV, has prompted me to rectify that. I still have his number in my phone.
He was a good man to ring about Nudgee alumni. He told me some terrific stories about an extremely gifted athlete: Jason Akermanis. Kroppy explained that Aker had explosive speed and endurance. The thing I most remember Kroppy telling me when Aker was first coming onto the scene: ‘He actually wants to be a comedian.’ And explained Aker’s Grade 11 small-business assignemtn when he became a promoter (self) and set up a comedy gig at lunch time in the assembly hall.
And, of course, Crash is a fixture of Queensland sport. He may have had a few games for UQCC as well.
Nice work RITV. That article helped me understand what is actually happening with GG.