Who is Cooper Lutkenhaus? Parents and all we know about teen athlete as he sets new track record and qualifies for world championships

16-year-old athlete from Texas, Cooper Lutkenhaus, recently became the youngest American ever to qualify for the World Track and Field Championships. The teenage sprinter competed in the 800m final, finishing second on Sunday, August 3, 2025, at the USATF Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

Notably, Lutkenhaus made a miraculous comeback during the finals. He was in seventh place with just 200 m to go. However, he picked up his pace, beating seasoned professionals to come in second at 1:42.27. He nearly beat former world champion Donavan Brazier, who won the race by a margin of just 0.11 seconds.

Following the race, Lutkenhaus discussed his strategy, stating:

"I've always kind of had a natural spot with 200 (meters) to go. Ever since middle school that's kind of been the spot I've really pushed from. Kind of just decided to go back to middle school tactics with 200 to go and really just give everything I had left."

Cooper Lutkenhaus comes from a family of athletes

Cooper Lutkenhaus was born in December 2008 to George and Tricia Lutkenhaus. According to the Tulsa Hurricane's website, he is the brother of Andrew and George Jr.

According to an August 2024 article by Dallas News, Lutkenhaus attended Northwest High School in Texas. Per the outlet, the sprinter was just in eighth grade when he won the 800 meters at the Brooks PR Invitational and Nike Outdoor Nationals.

Notably, Cooper Lutkenhaus was part of the Nike Elite Program (a sponsorship program providing mentorship, equipment, opportunities, etc. to 40 school track and field athletes each year) in 2023.

Per his interview on the program's website, he hails from a family of athletes. His mother, Tricia, is a two-time Texas state qualifier in the 4x400 relay.

Meanwhile, his father is a two-time Texas state qualifier in cross-country cycling. He was also runner-up in the 1600 meters and went on to run collegiately at the University of North Texas.

Cooper's brother, Andrew, came fourth at the class 5A state meet and finished third at Nike Outdoor Nationals in 2023. He is currently running for Tulsa University. George Jr. is a swimmer at Adams State University. Notably, Lutkenhaus noted he would take up swimming if not track and field.

Elsewhere during the conversation, Cooper Lutkenhaus revealed he likes listening to country music to help him relax. He added that listening to anything by John Pardi, Morgan Wallen, and Parker McCollum hypes him up before a competition.

Talking about his motivation, the teenage athlete told Nike:

"Run consistently. There are good days and bad days, most importantly you're having days."

Cooper Lutkenhaus previously expressed his admiration for Bryce Hoppel, who set the American record in the 800m event during the 2024 Summer Olympics (at 1:41.67), and Josh Kerr.

Cooper Lutkenhaus is not only the youngest American set to compete at the World Championships but also set the record for Under-19 at 1:42:27. Notably, he beat Timothy Kitum's (Kenya) record set at the 2012 London Olympics by a 1.1-second margin.

Lutkenhaus is set to head to compete at the World Championships in Tokyo next month alongside Hoppel.