Cooper Sherman

Cooper Sherman is one of Australia’s best all-round sprinters. He registered World junior qualifiers in all three sprints in 2022 going on to make the semi-finals in the 400m. Over the last year he has represented Australia at three global meets making the semis at the World Indoors, helping Australia qualify two relay teams for the 2025 World Championships and winning a global medal.

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Cooper Sherman started his athletic journey at the young age of five. Whilst initially participating in athletics for fun, the competitive bug was certainty within Cooper. He also played soccer, both outdoor and indoor, at highly competitive levels, earning Australian team selection. “Running fast is the most exhilarating part…the people that beat me just make me more motivated to work harder and get out in front of them.”

Cooper would run PBs in all three of his running disciplines in 2022, the most significant of which being his progression in the 400m. He started the summer with a best of 49.37 and by late January, in five consecutive races her would runs PBs, landing at a world junior qualifier of 47.20. At 200m, he would go from 21.93 to 21.11 and 100m from 10.98 to 10.56.

Cooper recalled this purple patch of form.

“I’d run a half a second pb to qualify for the 200m. Following that the 400m and 100m qualifiers came, but sadly I got injured right before nationals.”

The injury prevented him running the 2022 Australian U20 Championships which doubled as the World junior trials.

“Injury is still the biggest challenge for me, as it’s still coming into play. In the past, I haven’t done the right things to be preventing injuries”.  But the selectors show faith in Cooper and in April selected him in the 400m for the World U20 Championships where he went on to make the 400m semi-final.

After a modest 2023 season, his first years in seniors in 2004 was in total contrast as he smashed his PBs clocking 10.45/20.91/45.71, won the National open 400m title and placed second at the Oceania Championships. Chasing Olympic selection, he came close to qualification on World Athletics points.

His progress continued in 2025 with PBs again across his range of events. In his only 100m, he ran a PB 10.40, in the 200m he sliced 0.25 seconds from his best running 20.66 and over 400m ran three PBs 45.41, 45.31 and 45.26 (#17 Australian all-time). The later 400m time was as he defend his national title. He was also selected to run the 400m at the World Indoors in March where he progressed to the semi-final.

In May, he helped two 4x400m relays qualify for the world championships – the men’s 4x400m and mixed 4x400m. He led off the men’s 4x400m team which clocked the fastest Australian time for 41 years, missing the national record by 0.03 seconds. In the mixed 4x400m he ran in the heats, assisting the team to an Australian record and when they won a silver medal in the final – he was rewarded with his first global medal.

Famous Relatives: Don Sherman, lawn bowls 1982 Commonwealth Games champion…Advice to your young self: Do not worry about others, only worry about yourself…Hometown: Ballarat 1:40 hours outside of Melbourne…Education: Exercise Science at Federation University, Ballarat

@8 Sept 2025 david.tarbotton@athletics.org.au