Teen Senstation Thrills JDL Fast Track Crowd With 1:44.03 To Win Men's 800

By David Woods for DyeStat

Tavan Smith Photo

RESULTS/VIDEOS

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — On a night when Cole Hocker set an American record in the mile and Nico Young outkicked a deep 3,000-meter field, the story of the men’s sport in this country continues to be the rising teens.

That starts with Cooper Lutkenhaus, who is, at 17, one of the most recognizable runners in track and field.

He might become a world champion this year. Not an under-20 world champion – although it would be splendid to have him at August’s World Athletics U20 Championships at Eugene – but the all-ages-and-countries world champion.

“You can have all the talent in the world, but it you’re not confident going into the race, it doesn’t really matter that much,” Lutkenhaus said. “I go into every race thinking I can be up there and win it.”

Most recent manifestation of that was in Saturday’s ASICS Sound Invite at the JDL Fast Track. Lutkenhaus won the 800 meters in 1:44.03 -- a U20 (and U18) world record with a time that ranks No. 5 of all time.

Of course, it would have broken his own high school record if he hadn’t turned pro. But it defies credulity to state Lutkenhaus is 3.64 seconds faster than the No. 2 high schooler ever, and that happened to be Josh Hoey in 2018. All Hoey has did was win a world indoor title last year and set a world indoor record of 1:42.50 on Jan. 24.

If an injury keeps Hoey out of next month’s World Indoor Championships, Team USA might win a repeat gold with Lutkenhaus.

Moreover, he said he isn’t in peak fitness “because we have a lot of goals in the outdoor season.”

Lutkenhaus glanced over his shoulder a couple of times to spot the challenge of Penn State’s Handal Roban, who was second in 1:44.73. Roban was only .03 off the collegiate record set by Northern Arizona’s Colin Sahlman at New York’s Millrose Games Feb. 1.

“To be honest, I was complacent. It should have been a closer race, a better race,” Roban said. “He’s a super talent. I’m happy to race against him. I was just slow to it.”

Abraham Alvarado was third and Isaiah Harris fourth, both in 1:45.62.

Beyond Lutkenhaus, there was a national high school record in the 2,000 meters by Jameson Pifer of Collins Hill GA and a US#1 in the mile by Caden Leonard of Southlake Carroll TX.

Although Young’s 2K prep record of 5:17.89 was admittedly obscure, Pifer was gratified to break it with a time of 5:12.79. Pifer said it was a harder effort than his US#1 of 4:00.61 of a few days ago.

In turn, Leonard bettered Pifer’s mile time with a 4:00.07 in finishing third in a non-high school section.

“I think the high school scene is getting ridiculous,” Young said. “It’s pretty incredible to see these kids run as fast as they are.”

Young is running pretty fast these days himself, as evidenced by a recent workout in which he twice ran 400 meters in 50 seconds. He said 50.0 is his actual PB at that distance.

In the 3,000, he ran the closing 400 in 54.59 to pull away from Yared Nuguse and Ethan Strand. Their times were 7:33.32, 7:33.78 and 7:35.29, respectively. Matthew Wilkinson was fourth in 7:35.77 and Ireland’s Darragh McElhinney fifth in 7:36.83.

“I’ve really been focusing on developing that speed, and I think it gives me more confidence closing these races,” Young said. “If I can get to the end, I think I’ll be able to close well.”

Geordie Beamish, the New Zealander who has won world titles in the steeplechase and indoor 1,500, wasn’t close enough to use his vaunted kick and was seventh in 7:39.79.

Nuguse said he has endured minor setbacks with the flu and a sore hamstring this season. He is aiming at a 1,500/3,000 double in the USA Indoor Championships in two weeks, and thus would face Hocker in both.

Elsewhere, Wake Forest’s Paul Specht  won the Camel City mile in 3:52.95.

Drew Hunter edged Abdi Nur in the 5,000, 13:10.87 to 13:11.59.

Contact David Woods at dwoods1411@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.