Northwest sophomore Cooper Lutkenhaus set to race against Olympians

UPDATE: Congratulations to Cooper who broke the U.S. high school indoor record with a time of 1:46.86 at Millrose Games. He beat Josh Hoey's previous record by nearly a second. Cooper finished sixth in the race with Hoey finishing first and setting a new American record. Click here to read more about Cooper's record from Mile Split USA.

The Millrose Games are widely regarded as the top indoor track and field competition in the world, and the men’s 800-meter field this weekend is loaded. An American record holder, a World Indoor Champion, an NCAA Champion, an Irish record holder who is three-time Olympian and a Northwest Texan will all be on track.

Sophomore Cooper Lutkenhaus is no stranger to racing — and winning — against fast competition, but this race will be his toughest to date. Cooper is set to join Bryce Hoppel, Josh Hoey, Jonah Koech, Mark English and Shane Cohen for Saturday afternoon’s race in New York City. The meet will be televised live on NBC starting at 3 p.m. on with the men’s 800 meter scheduled for 4:27 p.m. CDT.

RACING THE BEST 
“I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to get to run at Millrose against great competition,” Cooper said. “My goals for the race are to just hang on and see how it goes, but to have fun.”

A recent Dallas Morning News feature noted that Cooper will be trying to break the U.S. high school indoor record of 1:47.67 that was set by Hoey in 2018. 

The Millrose Games will be just the second indoor race of Cooper’s career. In his first, the Red Raider Invitational at Texas Tech just two weeks ago, Cooper earned first place in a field full of collegiate athletes. His time of 1:50.15 broke the national sophomore class indoor and Texas indoor state records.

His success against tough competition is no surprise. LetsRun.com, a leading track and field news outlet, last year touted then freshmen Cooper as “the top high school 800-meter runner in the country." 

As a freshman, he claimed wins at the RunningLane Championships, Brooks PR Invitational and Nike Outdoor Nationals.  His best time of 1:47.58 took him more than three seconds below the previous freshman class record of 1:50.84 (held by 2024 Olympian Brandon Miller) and came just shy of the world age-15 record of 1:47.50 (held by 2024 Olympic finalist Max Burgin).

GROWING AND WINNING

The results speak for themselves — Cooper certainly works hard for his accolades. He trains at least six days a week, all year long. 

“It changes a little throughout the year,” Cooper explained. “In cross country season, it’s a little more mileage and longer workouts. Then once track season officially starts, a little less mileage but also increasing the speed and incorporating more anaerobic things.”

When asked what motivates him to work hard each day, the answer was simple.

“Winning!”

“In my opinion, winning is one of the best feelings that you can have,” he said. “Being able to cross that line with a fast time or winning a big race against other great competition, that's something that just keeps me going. … But, also the growth that I've had from freshman year to now — not just as an athlete but also as a person. I feel like I've grown a lot already in my high school career.”

LEADING HIS TEAM
Chris Capeau, Northwest High School’s cross country coach, has a front row seat for Cooper’s high school career. Winning may be Cooper’s top motivator, but that mindset — combined with his selfless attitude — makes him an incredible teammate, said Capeau.

“I think winners like to be around other people that win,” he said. “He wants his teammates to see how good they can be, too. So, he will push that and always be there to support them .Even last summer when he wasn’t running one week, he still showed up that whole week to be with the team — and not because it looks good. He does it because this is his team and these are the people he wants to be around.”

Cooper, the track sensation, is a sight to behold for the less than two minutes he is on the track, but Cooper, the teammate, is always on full display and this sets him apart. Even when talking about career aspirations, being a team player is evident.

“One of my main goals after high school is to run in college and meet a good group of guys,” Cooper said. “Of course, get a good education, wherever I go. Having fun with it is always the biggest thing. I want to have a good group of guys to train with and have fun.”

FAMILY OF TEACHERS AND ATHLETES 
Competing at the highest level runs in the Lutkenhaus family. Cooper, the youngest of three boys, has two college-athlete brothers, one who swims and another who runs track and cross country. His mother and father also are former athletes who went on to teach and coach and are now NISD administrators.

On the track, running fast is certainly in his genetics. Off the track, so too are his aspirations to one day be a coach. 

“The biggest thing my parents have taught me is how to be a good person,” Cooper reflects. “That is what teachers and coaches are for; to teach you how life works, so I think that’s one of the biggest influences they’ve had on me.” 

From his parents to his Northwest High School coaches to the coaching spirit within himself, it’s easy to see why Cooper is destined to make his community proud, both on and off the track.

“When you think about the big picture, what makes me most proud about Cooper is that he's a contributing person to the society around him,” Capeau said. “At times, some people just kind of coast through life, but for Cooper and the things that he does, he goes all in. Whether that's a team dinner, practice or in history class, he's in there contributing. He is raising his hand, speaking up and getting his work in. 

“When you are coaching people to run fast, it is certainly exciting to see them run and compete the way that he does, but it’s the effect he is having as a young man, as someone that's going to show up and give all he has at everything he does in life, that makes me most proud.”