High School track Star Cooper Lutkenhaus Turns Pro After Shattering World Under-18 Record
Eugene, Oregon – Cooper Lutkenhaus, a rising star in track and field, has decided to forgo his remaining high school eligibility and turn professional, his family announced this week. The decision comes on the heels of a record-breaking performance at the U.S.Championships where the young athlete ran an astonishing 1:42.03 in the 800-meter, obliterating the previous world under-18 record of 1:43.37 set by Mohammed Aman of Ethiopia in 2011.
Lutkenhaus, who will turn 17 in December, joins a growing trend of young american runners opting for the professional circuit before finishing high school. He follows in the footsteps of athletes like Erriyon Knighton, who signed with Adidas in January 2021 before the Tokyo Olympics at just under 17, and candace Hill, who secured a deal with ASICS in 2015 at age 16.
“I feel like it’s the right decision in our eyes to be able to compete against the best in the world now,” Lutkenhaus told The Associated Press. “Wherever you go, your going to have the best competition in the world. It’s going to be really cool. It’s going to be a grate learning experience,I feel like the first year or two. We’re just super-excited to see what we can do.”
The decision was made as a family, weighing the benefits of continued high school competition against the opportunity to compete at the highest level. His father, George Lutkenhaus, explained the shift in perspective after his son’s record-breaking run. “At 1:45, we had it all figured out,” he said with a laugh. “It’s hard to put a 1:42 guy on a high school track. In some ways that’s not fair to him and in other ways it’s not fair to the other kids, either.”
The Lutkenhaus family boasts a strong athletic background. Mother Tricia Lutkenhaus ran track in high school, while father george competed at the University of North Texas. Older brother Andrew currently runs for Tulsa, and eldest brother George Jr. swam at Adams State University in Colorado.The entire family was present in Eugene, Oregon, to witness Cooper’s historic run. “It almost felt like a mini-vacation, all of us in the hotel, just as it was super relaxed,” Cooper said, reflecting on the rare family time.
While Lutkenhaus could have explored opportunities through Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals, Texas state rules currently restrict NIL agreements for high school athletes under the age of 17.
Lutkenhaus is represented by agent Ray Flynn and is currently finalizing his racing schedule. His next competition will be the 800-meter event at the World Athletics Championships, beginning September 16th, with the final scheduled for September 20th. He will be competing alongside fellow Americans and athletes he considers idols, Donavan Brazier – who won the U.S. Championships – and Bryce Hoppel, who finished third. “They’re super-nice guys,” Lutkenhaus said of his competitors.Lutkenhaus’s rapid ascent has been marked by consistent record-breaking performances. His semifinal run at the U.S. Championships saw him clock a time of 1:45.57, foreshadowing the even more notable time he would achieve in the final. His decision to turn professional signals a notable moment in his career and a potential shift in the landscape of youth track and field.
