America's Usain Bolt? 15-year old HS freshman Tyrese Cooper says he wants to run 19.9 before the year is up

It all depends on the state, but in any case he is a year behind most others born in the spring of 1990

bloob wrote:

A little old?! I turned 16 a few days before the start of my junior year! Not during my senior track season. Unless you mean it'll be during this calendar year. Even then he'd still be turning 16 earlier than 90% of those in his grade.

You're young for a junior then, I'm turning 17 in April and i'm in the middle/lower % of my grade.

rojo wrote:

Raysism wrote:

He's on the older side, but not a year ahead. He will turn 16 towards the beginning of 10th grade, which is still in the normal range.

By the way, he ran most of those times from a standing position -- he didn't learn to use blocks until late in the summer. He won the 100, 200 and 400 at the Florida middle school state championship as a seventh grader, and then again in eighth grade.

His birthday is March 21, 2000. So yes, he's old for his grade. He should be in 10th grade (where he'd be one of the youngest) but is in 9th grade.

I was 15 my entire sophomore year and never felt young. Turning 16 in March of soph year doesn't make him "one of the youngest" by a long shot. Having a license to drive as a freshman is weird.

Does NOT matter if he's a tiny bit old. Kid is killing it if he's a freshman or sophmore

Tyrese Cooper is a year behind in school. He was born in March of 2000 and should have been in the freshman class when he started his 8th grade year at age 14. If he was in the correct grade for his age (10th grade) he would not have any of the freshman national class records that he has been given. He was 15 yrs old in the 8th grade. If he was in his correct grade (the sophomore year)for his age, he would not have the indoor freshman national records in the 200 or 400 meter dash indoors, Neither would not have the freshman nationals records in the 200 and 400m dash outdoors. His outdoor 200 meter dash time as a 16 yr old sophomore would give him the sophomore national record.

"He has been given a 1 year handicap to break national class records strictly as a result of being a year behind in school." Tyrese Cooper is now a 16 yr old freshman. The runners who are really freshman (who start the year at age 14) do not get to come back when they are Tyrese Cooper's age to try for freshman national records because they will be in their sophomore and junior years when they turn 16.

Do you think it is fair to give much older athletes a 1 yr handicap to break national class records? Quite frankly, this is just wrong.

Tyrese Cooper is a year behind in school. He was born in March of 2000 and should have been in the freshman class when he started his 8th grade year at age 14. If he was in the correct grade for his age (10th grade) he would not have any of the freshman national class records that he has been given. He was 15 yrs old in the 8th grade. If he was in his correct grade (the sophomore year)for his age, he would not have the indoor freshman national records in the 200 or 400 meter dash indoors, Neither would not have the freshman nationals records in the 200 and 400m dash outdoors. His outdoor 200 meter dash time as a 16 yr old sophomore would give him the sophomore national record.

"He has been given a 1 year handicap to break national class records strictly as a result of being a year behind in school." Tyrese Cooper is now a 16 yr old freshman. The runners who are really freshman (who start the year at age 14) do not get to come back when they are Tyrese Cooper's age to try for freshman national records because they will be in their sophomore and junior years when they turn 16.

Do you think it is fair to give much older athletes a 1 yr handicap to break national class records strictly because they are behind in school? Quite frankly, this is just plain wrong. Athletes should not be reward simply for being behind in school.

Read more:

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=6986105&page=1#ixzz4H0WlGcnB

If he is 16 at any period during the 9th grade that means he is a year behind in school. Most Juniors are 16 yrs old.

Most kids turn 16 during 10th grade.

But yes he is older than typical. I'd be fine with disallowing the class records. But really, what does it matter? The guy is running crazy fast for whatever his grade is.

All this shows is how ridiculous the American system of referring to kids by HS school grade is.

Age is what counts. Cooper is a 2000 birthday. That's all that matters. HS class does not.

You whiny babies.. I thought I'd come on here for an update and all I'm reading is about grades.. Jesus! Get a life folks.. What did he end up running this year?!

20.46 200m / 45.69 400m

Seems talented even if he is 16.

Ohiostatium wrote:

20.46 200m / 45.69 400m

Seems talented even if he is 16.

10.36

20.46w, 20.62 wind legal

45.23, 45.54, 45.69

Seems like he'll run sub 45 before he hits sub 20, but who knows!

His times get relatively faster as he gets into longer sprints, which says that he's more of a natural 400 guy (or his speed/acceleration development are lacking). Bolt ran sub-20 at 17, and that's a long way from 20.62. Maybe he'll be the next Van Nierkerk rather than the next Bolt. It's not that easy to break 20 while of high school age as both Noah Lyles and Michael Norman found out this year.

This thread is great but also sad. We miss you Tyrese

Did he graduate or is he still in high school at 21?

hobby joggin bro wrote:

This thread is great but also sad. We miss you Tyrese

Why? He decided he wanted to be a gangsta instead of being the American Usain Bolt. How stupid is that? It's not like he decided that he wanted to play football and be the next Tony Dorsett or Randy Moss. No, he decided he wanted to be a thug. Meanwhile, we've come upon the great Erryon Knighton, who has no issues, handles himself w/ poise, and actually run the times Heistin' w/ Mr. Cooper said he would and never did.