At just 16 years old, Cooper Lutkenhaus isn't just chasing greatness — he's sprinting straight into the history books.

The rising high school junior from Justin, Texas, stunned the track world at the USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships in Oregon when he ran the 800 meters in 1:42.27 — the fastest time ever recorded by anyone under the age of 18.

"I think my mindset going into every race is just to leave it all on the track," Lutkenhaus said. "Just making sure I have nothing left in the tank."

His record-setting run didn't just rewrite the record books; it also placed him among the sport's elite.

Lutkenhaus finished second overall, just behind U.S. Olympian Donavan Brazier, in what turned out to be the fourth-fastest 800-meter performance in U.S. history, and the fifth-fastest in the world this year.

"It was just electric," he said, describing the energy in the stadium during the final stretch. "That last hundred meters, I came around and just started passing people."

Lutkenhaus' previous personal best was 1:45.45, which already made headlines earlier this year when it shattered a nearly 30-year-old high school national record. But in Oregon, he shaved off another three seconds — an eternity in the world of elite middle-distance running.

Despite the attention, Lutkenhaus said he stays grounded, thanks to a strong support system that includes his coaches and family.

"When somebody tells you, you can do something, I always look at it like, if they think I can do it, why don't I think I can?" he said.

He gives credit to his mom, a former state qualifier herself, for passing on the family speed gene. "She's the reason I've been able to run so fast. All the credit goes to her," he said with a smile.

But even with a world record under his belt, he says the people closest to him see more than just a runner. "I think that's the most important thing — that they know me outside of what I really do."

His next stop? Tokyo.

Lutkenhaus will represent Team USA at the World Athletics Championships, set to begin on Sept. 13. He'll be among 2,000 elite athletes from 200 countries competing on one of track and field's biggest stages.

"These next four weeks, I just want to take advantage of it and have fun with all the training," he said. "This whole year has just been exciting. I'm ready to get out there and see what I can do against the best in the world."

Back in Texas — and across the country — fans, coaches, and even former record-holders are cheering him on.