Youngest world champion
17-year-old makes sports history
March 22, 2026 – 9:49 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
Cooper Lutkenhaus is crowned indoor world champion in Poland – no one has ever been younger. For the German team, however, the World Cup ends with a sobering result.
At the age of 17 years and 93 days, Cooper Lutkenhaus won gold in the 800 meters at the World Indoor Athletics Championships in Torun, Poland. The world association confirms: The American is the youngest world champion and youngest individual medalist in the history of athletics – indoors and outdoors.
His time: 1:44.24 minutes. Lutkenhaus said: “I’m totally surprised at how much support I’ve had from everyone around me, especially as a teenager competing at the highest level.” With his victories he contributed to the USA becoming the most successful nation in the title fights. The 4×400 meter relay team also won gold.
Two world records characterized the title fights. The Swiss heptathlete Simon Ehammer improved the American Ashton Eaton’s record in the heptathlon on Saturday. It lasted 14 years. Ehammer scored 6,670 points – 25 more than Eaton. In the women’s 60-meter hurdles, Devynne Charlton of the Bahamas ran a world record of 7.65 seconds.
There was no medal for the German team. All 14 athletes from the German Athletics Association (DLV) ended up outside the podium. Olympic shot put champion Yemisi Ogunleye came in fifth place. German champion Marlene Meier ran seventh in the 60 meter hurdles in a personal best time of 7.90 seconds. The DLV won a medal at the 2024 World Indoor Championships in Glasgow and 2025 in Nanjing, China.
DLV competitive sports board member Jörg Bügner said: “The athletics fans experienced many strong performances in Torun – but they also showed that our path back to the top of the world is still challenging and long in some disciplines.” The next highlight for the association is the European Championships from August 10th to 16th in Birmingham.
