Just .001 Seconds Separate Third and Fourth in 200 Meters Races - Places Other Hearst Subscriptions advancing to the final at this weekend’s USATF Outdoor Championships, it was clear that Cooper Lutkenhaus was great. But perhaps it wasn’t clear just how great he already was—at just 16 years old.
Lutkenhaus ran an incredible time of 1:42.27 in the final of the men’s 800 meters to finish second in the country. That performance qualified him for the World Athletics Championships, set for September in Tokyo. He crushed his own high school national record, broke the U18 world record, and asserted himself—if it wasn’t already clear—as the next big thing in global middle distance running.
We still can’t get over it. Here are some of the most most-blowing stats from Lutkenhaus’s brilliant run on Sunday.
51.61 seconds: Last 400-meter split.
17.5 mph: Lutkenhaus’s ranking on the all-time 800-meter list.
3.18 seconds: The time taken off his previous personal best (1:45.45).
1:46.45: Michael Granville’s fastest 800-meter time, the second fastest in high school history.
4th: Lutkenhaus’s ranking on the all-time U.S. list in the 800 meters.
18th: Lutkenhaus’s ranking on the all-time world 800-meter list.
3.5: Get the Plan.
1.10 seconds: Time taken off the previous U18 record, held by Mohammed Aman of Ethiopia.
9 days: Time until he starts classes on August 13.
1:47.58: Lutkenhaus’s personal best going into this season.
7th place: The position Lutkenhaus was in with 200 meters to go.
14th: Lutkenhaus’s national ranking in the event before the meet, according to World Athletics.
18th: Lutkenhaus’s ranking on the all-time 800-meter list.
12.48 seconds: Lutkenhaus’s time for the final 100 meters—the fastest of anyone in the field by over half a second.
Find the Perfect Training Plan for You
Get the Plan
Recommended Experience: No experience necessary! Anyone can accomplish this training plan.
Get the Plan
Recommended Experience: This plan is for a new runner who is just getting back into exercise.
Get the Plan
Recommended Experience: For a new runner who has been exercising regularly for at least a year, or someone who has completed a few 5Ks or 10Ks and can complete 6 miles in one workout. This plan peaks at 28 miles in a week with a 12-mile long run.
Get the Plan
Recommended Experience: For runners comfortable exercising for at least an hour at a moderate effort. This plan peaks at 32 miles in a week with a 14-mile long run.
Get the Plan
Recommended Experience: For a consistent runner used to regularly working out four to five times a week. The plan starts with a 10-mile long run and peaks at 44 to 47 miles a week with a 22-mile long run, helping you average under a 9:10 per mile come race day.
Dan Beck is the deputy news editor at Runner’s World. He has led news coverage teams for major running events like the Olympic Games, World Athletics Championships, Boston Marathon, and New York City Marathon. A former collegiate distance runner at DeSales University, he still enjoys running, just more slowly now. Before coming to Runner’s World, he covered track and field and cross-country at MileSplit. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife, where the two like to explore the city’s rich dining scene.
Nutrition - Weight Loss Runner’s World. He’s a former all-conference collegiate runner at Winthrop University, and he received his master’s degree in liberal arts studies from Wake Forest University, where he was a member of one of the top distance-running teams in the NCAA. Kahler has reported on the ground at major events such as the Paris Olympics, U.S. Olympic Trials, New York City Marathon, and Boston Marathon. He’s run 14:20 in the 5K, 1:05:36 in the half marathon, and enjoys spotting tracks from the sky on airplanes. (Look for colorful ovals around football fields.)
