Cooper Sherman out to win 100m, 200m and 400m at Country Championships

A Ballarat sprinting sensation has put other Australian Olympic hopefuls of notice after a stunning start to 2024 with the quickest times in the country. And he’s only going to get faster.

Ballarat’s Cooper Sherman says his start to the year has him adjusting his expectations and the Paris Olympics could be more than a just a dream.

He broke his personal best times in the 100m and 400m, setting times of 10.45 and 46.80 seconds respectively, at a recent Athletics Victoria Shield League meet in Ballarat.

The 10.45s time is the fastest, legally, by an Australian this year.

“I’m starting to peak at the right time, I guess,” he said.

“I hadn’t done a 100m in about three months prior to the one I ran last weekend.

“I’m glad I can see such improvement from then to now.”

Sherman said his improvement had been from his mental improvement over the past few months to ignore injuries.

“Over the past couple of years I’ve been batting a hamstring problem, mostly it’s coming from my mentality,” he said.

“Due to having so many hamstring injuries, it worries me a lot and I think about it a lot.

“It prevents me from running my fastest.

“Now I can control it and I’m way more positive about how I think when I’m running and how my body feels I can run at my full potential.

“It’s a result of the times I’m running at the moment.”

Cooper Sherman competing for the Ballarat Harriers last weekend. Picture: Nev Owens.

His times now have him dreaming of an Olympics berth.

“I’m not sure if I have any chance for the Olympics or not,” he revealed.

“But considering how I’m going and the start of the year going well I’ll try as hard as I can and possibly make a relay team for the Olympics.

“I won’t be disappointed if I don’t because it’s the best of the best who go.

“It’s my current goal at the moment.”

Sherman’s focus now turns to the Country Championships this weekend, looking to win the 100m, 200m and 400m.

WATCH OUT: MEET THE ATHLETES TO SEE AT THE COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS

And the 19-year-old will be one of the favourites.

He said it was important to perform at home, especially as he made sure he raced at home rather than at another meet.

“There is an ACT championships that run at the same time (this weekend) and that’s an early nationals for Australian athletes,” Sherman said.

“Most of the athletes looking to do well will go to the ACT champs.

“I decided to stay in Ballarat because it’s my hometown and I’m looking forward to seeing what I can do here.

“I want to try to be the person in Ballarat who is known as the sprinter.”

Cooper Sherman. (Photo by Pedro Vilela/Getty Images)

Sherman will also compete at the upcoming Ballarat Gift and has his sights on the Stawell Gift as well.

But the teenager said his focus was still on competing in all sprint events, 100m, 200m and 400m, as his career continues to blossom.

“I’ve been doing pretty well in the gift running,” he said.

“I treat it more as training, rather than competition as everyone has handicaps so I can really push myself in those.

“Mostly my focus is on the 200m and 400m but the focus does switch because all my three PBs in the events are equivalent in points, I do equally well in all three of them.

“I continue as I might break out in one of them.

“So if I keep doing all three, which I like doing all three, it will give me the best chance to get into anything at the Olympics.”

The Country Championships start on Australia Day and continue until Sunday.

Originally published as Cooper Sherman out to win 100m, 200m and 400m at Country Championships