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After today's race, the 800 meters will never be the same.
On Saturday at the Millrose Games, 16-year-old Cooper Lutkenhaus did the unthinkable-he broke the U.S. high school indoor 800m record with a jaw-dropping time of 1:46.86. Competing against Olympians, American record holders, and professional stars, the Justin Northwest sophomore smashed Josh Hoey's 2018 record of 1:47.67 in just his second indoor race ever.
Lutkenhaus wasn't just along for the ride-he placed sixth in a race won by Hoey, who clocked an American indoor record of 1:43.90. Bryce Hoppel, the outdoor American record holder and a 2024 Paris Olympic finalist, finished second in 1:44.19.
2025 Millrose Games - Men's 800m Results
| Place | Runner | Time |
| 1 | Josh Hoey | 1:43.90 |
| 2 | Bryce Hoppel | 1:44.19 |
| 3 | Jonah Koech | 1:44.82 |
| 4 | Mark English | 1:45.15 |
| 5 | Alex Amankwah | 1:45.82 |
| 6 | Cooper Lutkenhaus | 1:46.86 |
| 7 | Shane Cohen | 1:47.01 |
To put Lutkenhaus' performance in perspective, Hoppel's best high school time was 1:49.58, and Shane Cohen ran 1:58.37 as a prep athlete, both were run outdoors.
Lutkenhaus attacked the race with confidence, splitting 52.04 for the first 400 meters and closing in 26.88 over the final 200 to obliterate his indoor sophomore class record of 1:50.15, which he set just two weeks earlier. Last June, he also set the Texas outdoor state record with a 1:47.58 at the Brooks PR Invitational.
Top Indoor 800m Times - All-Time
| Place | Runner | Time | Year |
| 1 | Cooper Lutkenhaus | 1:46.86 | 2025 |
| 2 | Josh Hoey | 1:47.67 | 2018 |
| 3 | Will Sumner | 1:48.14 | 2022 |
| 4 | Tinoda Matsatsa | 1:48.27 | 2023 |
| 5 | Alex Leath | 1:48.46 | 2023 |
His record-breaking spree began in 2024, when he set the national freshman record three times, highlighted by a 1:49.12 at the RunningLane Track Championships and a 1:49.84 to win the Class 5A state title in May. His 1:50.15 earlier this season had previously stood as the fastest ever for a U.S. sophomore indoors.
Driven by a desire to compete with the best, Lutkenhaus personally reached out to Millrose Games organizers, asking for a chance to race in the prestigious event. He was added to a stacked field featuring Hoey, NCAA outdoor 800 champion Shane Cohen, and three-time Olympian Mark English of Ireland. Lutkenhaus held his own, finishing ahead of Cohen, who placed fourth at last summer's U.S. Olympic Trials.
At just 16, Cooper Lutkenhaus has already made history. With the outdoor season looming and just being a sophomore, it feels like he's just getting started.