My wife and I recently drove to Eugene (Oregon) for the USA Track and Field Championships (USATF). Over four days, the best American athletes competed for a place on the US team that will go to the World Athletics Championship, held in Tokyo 13–21 September. The competition was in The University of Oregon Hayward Field facilities, a world-class venue after being upgraded for the 2022 World Championships. We attended all four days, and the competition did not disappoint.
Track and Field (Athletics, outside the US) is not a major sport in the US, except every four years during the Olympics. In Europe and Asia, the sport has a large following, second only to futbol (soccer). What is ironic is that the American athletes dominate all other countries. For example, at the 2022 Oregon World Athletics Championships, the US won 33 medals (13 gold). The next highest medal count, Ethiopia, won 10 medals (4 gold). China placed fifth in the medal count (6 medals) with a population more than double the US.
Over the four-day competition, I witnessed uplifting triumphs and stunning defeats. Sadly, most of the sports media published little information. On the last day of competition, there were many final events that determined who would go to Tokyo. After the conclusion of events, I checked the ESPN highlights. Their only story on the championships was on the Men’s 200m race when Kenny Bednarek pushed Noah Lyles after the end of the race. When Lyles slipped passed Bednarek at the finish, he turned his head and stared down Bednarek. This led to the altercation.
This was the only incident of poor sportsmanship I witnessed during the competition. When Olympian shot putter Joe Kovacs was overtaken by Josh Awotunde who threw a personal best (PB), Kovacs ran over, and bear hugged Awotunde. Kovacs placed fourth and did not make the Tokyo team yet exhibited joy towards his fellow competitor’s feat. There were hundreds of examples of good sportsmanship and humility during the competition, yet one bad example made the news.
Many major news sources did not report one of the most impressive athletic performances ever: Cooper Lutkenhaus, a 16-year-old high school junior from North Texas, ran the 800m in 1:42.27 and place second. He had not run in college or world competitions. He broke the high school 800m record (1:46.26) last June, a record that stood for 29 years. To put his performance in perspective, he ran against Donovan Brazier, who broke the 34-year 800m American record, held by Johnny Gray (1:42.6), during the 2019 World Championships. Lutkenhaus’ time would have beaten Brazier in 2019. Bryce Hoppel placed fourth in the 2024 Paris Olympics final after running 1:41:67. Hoppel placed third behind Lutkenhaus in the USATF 800m finals.
This story began in the 800m semi-finals. Lutkenhaus was not expected to make the finals based on his PB time. The crowds cheered him during the introductions, as a high school student running against the world’s best is a rarity. The race started conservatively, and the runners were bunched together after the first of two laps. As the group curved around the turn, Lutkenhaus was pushed out and stumbled. He caught his balance as the pack moved forward and rejoined the race at the rear. Most high schoolers would likely have given up, but Lutkenhaus went faster and started passing runners. At 700m, he was in fifth place and ended the race in second place, clocking 1:45.62, just behind 2021 Olympian Isaiah Jewett. Lutkenhaus qualified for the finals, and the crowds cheered him for not giving up after he stumbled.
At the finals, he ran the inside lane (Lane 1) and was again warmly introduced. The race began at world record pace and Lutkenhaus quickly fell behind to seventh. The first lap was 49.2 seconds. I thought, will the leaders fade? At 600m, Lutkenhaus started to move towards the leaders. At 700m, he was in fifth and accelerating. The crowds rose to their feet and roared for him. He cruised past three runners and was close to passing the leader when he crossed the finish line. Lutkenhaus ran 12.48 seconds over the final 100 meters. To put his final sprint into perspective, he ran faster than the women’s 400m final 100m, who ran half the distance Lutkenhaus ran. His time earned him the under-18 world record and was faster than the NCAA 800m record (1:43.25) set in 2018.
Lutkenhaus has been running for three years and earned no NIL money because he is under 17 years old. It is illegal in Texas to make money off sports performances at 16 years old. Instead of starting his junior year of high school, he will be flying to Tokyo and competing at the World Championships, the youngest American ever to qualify. A noted sports commentator said that Lutkenhaus’ 800m was “one of the greatest feats ever by a high school athlete.”
The world needs more good news, and it is sad when good news gets overshadowed or discarded by bad behaviors. There is much truth in the common expression: “if it bleeds, it leads.” We watch the evening news most nights and it isn’t until the last minutes that uplifting stories get broadcasted. Weather, wars, politics, crime, and tragedies dominate the news. Those attending the USATF Championship in Eugene witnessed athleticism at its best and in the youth, a bright future. Well done, Cooper Lutkenhaus. I look forward to watching your future races.
