At the age of 16, Justin Northwest track star Cooper Lutkenhaus is turning pro.
Lutkenhaus, who just began his junior year of high school, will forgo all of his remaining high school and collegiate eligibility to turn professional and sign a contract with Nike, the running website Citius Mag and other media outlets reported Monday morning.
He will remain enrolled at Northwest and will be represented by Ray Flynn and Flynn Sports, according to Citius Mag. He will continue to be coached by Northwest coach Chris Capeu.
Lutkehnaus shocked the track world on Aug. 3 by becoming the fourth-fastest American man ever — at any level — by running 1:42.27 to place second in the 800-meter final at the USATF Outdoor National Championships and qualify for next month’s World Championships in Tokyo. He is now less than two seconds from the world record, which is held by Kenya’s David Rudisha, who ran 1:40.91 at the 2012 Olympics.
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Lutkenhaus beat two 2024 Olympians and the world’s second-ranked half-miler at the USATF Championships. Two of those were 2024 Olympics fourth-place finisher Bryce Hoppel and Josh Hoey — the two fastest Americans ever. Lutkenhaus went from seventh to second place with an epic sprint over the final 200 meters, and the Northwest star also beat 2024 Olympian Brandon Miller.
In the process, Lutkenhaus shattered his own high school national record of 1:45.45 and set a new under-18 world record. The World Championships are Sept. 13-21.
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