A nation of athletic fans has been left reeling like a stricken marathon runner at the 25-mile mark as the news spreads: Gout Gout's season is over. The Australian teenager's dreams of sprinting glory have been brutally halted, courtesy of a grade-three tear to his left hamstring - a blow that will keep him sidelined for the remainder of the year.
Gout, just 18 years young and already touted as one to watch in the world of athletics, had opted out of this summer's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, focusing instead on the U20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon in August. But it seems fate has other plans - or rather, a dodgy training session in Brisbane that left him hobbling.
The MRI report was the hammer blow Gout needed (or didn't need) to confirm his worst fears: no racing for him this year, and all those lofty goals will have to be put on hold. It's a bitter pill to swallow for fans who had high hopes for this bright young sprinter.
Now, as the athletics community rallies round Gout in support, we can't help but wonder what might have been. Would he have brought home a medal from Glasgow? Could he have stormed to victory in Eugene?