Following an unbelievable season, Nike has signed one of the youngest professional athletes in track and field history - inking 16-year-old middle-distance phenom Cooper Lutkenhaus to a groundbreaking contract.

Lutkenhaus most recently ran a 1:42.27 800m to win finish second at the 2025 US Championships. The mark was a U18 WR and arguably the most impressive performance from a high schooler in recent memory. He shattered his previoius High School National Record by over three-seconds in that performance. He now has the four fastest marks in high school history.

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“Signing with the best brand in the world, Nike. It’s really exciting to be given the opportunity,” Cooper told FloTrack in an interview. “I feel like that’s every kid’s dream when they get in the sport of running. You see the best athletes are with Nike. So just being able to represent them at such a young age… it’s almost perfect.”

The decision, Cooper explained, came after long conversations with his parents and coach.

“You don’t get this chance every day and nothing’s guaranteed in this sport,” he said. “Being able to be represented by Nike means they have full faith in me. That’s really exciting.”

Despite turning pro, Cooper will continue training with his high school coach and teammates while competing under Nike’s banner. 

“It’s almost like nothing will really change besides just the uniform I have on my chest in races."

The young star’s rapid rise included a breakthrough performance at the USATF Outdoor Championships, where he ran one of the fastest 800m races of the year at Hayward Field to make the World Championship team. 

“Having Nike in my corner, I feel like I can do a lot more than I thought I could. Their support is amazing. It’s like their catchphrase — just do it. Go out there, leave it all on the track, and hope everything goes as best as it can.”

HIs performance exceeded the bounds of high school middle-distance running. It also ranks as the fourth fastest 800m in US History, moving Lutkenhaus past names like Johnny Gray and Duane Solomon.

But his performances at the US Championships - were not the only ones indicative of his future success. One particular race in 2025 feels as though it was the catalyst that set an avalanche underway. At the 2025 Millrose Games, Lutkenhaus shattered Josh Hoey's HS National Record (in a race that Hoey won and set an Indoor American Record). He ran 1:46.86 and jump-started the rest of his season.

He has shown no signs of slowing down since, and will now round the corner into the 2025 Tokyo World Championships as a newly signed professional.

Don't Miss A Second Of The 2025 Diamond League

This year, the Diamond League is streaming live on FloTrack and the FloSports app, and FloTrack is giving fans more Diamond League access than ever before. For the first time ever, the Diamond League is streaming to fans all the feeds, not just the traditional world feed.

Fans will have uninterrupted coverage for every throw, leap and run during the meets as well as the traditional broadcast.

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