US high school student Cooper Lutkenhaus wins 800m to become youngest ever indoor world champion | Athletics
American teenager Cooper Lutkenhaus made history on Sunday by winning gold in the 800m, becoming the youngest champion in history at the world indoor athletics championships.
The 17-year-old, who took time off from classes at Northwest High School in Texas to compete in the championships, won gold with a time of 1 min 44.24 sec, 0.14 seconds ahead of Belgium’s Eliott Crestan. Spaniard Mohamed Attaoui won bronze.
Lutkenhaus, who turned 17 in December, broke the previous record for youngest champion held by Ethiopia’s Mohammed Aman, who was 18 years and 61 days old when he won gold, also in the 800m, in 2012.
“I came in knowing that I probably wasn’t the favorite, but every time I go into a final I believe I have a chance to win,” Lutkenhaus said after his victory.
Lutkenhaus also competed at the outdoor world championships last September while still 16, exiting in the first round. After his run in those championships, he admitted he still had some homework to do before returning home to Texas.
The teenager’s gold medal was the United States’ sixth at the championships, putting it at the top of the medal table ahead of Great Britain, which has won five.
