A 16-year-old Cooper Lutkenhaus smashed the men’s 800-meter U18 world record at the USA Track and Field (USATF) Outdoor Championships on August 3, 2025.
The teenager just finished the record in an astonishing 1:42:27, securing his spot at the 2024 World Championships in Tokyo, which will be held in September 2025.
This makes him fourth-fastest in U.S. history and fifth-fastest globally this year, as the record was three seconds faster than his previous personal best.
Lutkenhaus is a sophomore at Northwest High School, surpassing the previous record set by Ethiopia’s Mohammed Aman in 2011 at 1:43:37.
His electrifying final lap at 51:61 seconds crossed even 2019 world champion Donavan Brazier, who won the race in his comeback from a three-year hiatus.
In the final stretch, the teenager showcased his complete mastery as he surged past Olympians Bryce Hoppel and Brandon Miller leaving reigning world indoor champion Josh Hoey off the podium.
“Just making the team, running that fast this young, it’s special,” Lutkenhaus said post-race while talking to reporters.
His coach, Chris Capo, whom he started training with just a year ago, credited their partnership: “We put all our faith in each other. This was a perfect match.”
The Lutkenhaus family is deeply rooted in North Texas education. His father is an athletic director and his mother is a middle school principal.
Former record-holder Michael Granville, whose 1996 record was shattered by this young boy, expresses awe: “I said, WHAT? I did not know how to do the math.”
He added: “That’s a young man following his coach. He’s executing and seeing the result. There’s more left.”
Although he couldn’t secure first place at the race, Northwest ISD celebrated his triumph in a statement: “He trains with an unbridled passion, yet he remains humble and supports his classmates with the same passion he trains with. We are so incredibly proud of Cooper, and we're so happy for the entire Lutkenhaus family. Cooper has now etched his name in the history books for track and field not just in the United States, but the entire world.”
