Not long ago, 23-year-old track and field star Isabella Whittaker was stuck on the sidelines, battling a stress fracture in her back. Six months away from the track, doubts creeping in—would she ever race at full strength again? Before that, she had already faced a crossroads: stick with swimming or go all in on track and field. She chose track. And now? She’s dominating—so much so that she “kind of blacked out” in her latest win!

March 15 was a day to remember for the Maryland native. The junior at the University of Arkansas, delivered a 49.24-second run at the NCAA Indoor Championships, securing the 400m title at the Virginia Beach Sports Center. That time? It wasn’t just a win—it was history.

She smashed the previous NCAA indoor record of 49.48, held by Britton Wilson, and is now the second-fastest indoor 400m runner in the world, trailing only Femke Bol’s world record of 49.17. But for Whittaker, the moment wasn’t just about numbers. She didn’t even fully process it as it happened.

“I honestly, I don’t really know what came over me. I kind of blacked out,” she admitted. “My coach said that that’s the first 400 he’s actually seen me run, as in I haven’t run one before.” That’s the thing about Whittaker, she thrives under pressure. Even before transferring to Arkansas, she was rewriting track and field history. During her time at Penn, she shattered five Ivy League records, including the indoor and outdoor 400m, both of which had stood since 1990. But her journey hasn’t been smooth.

And in Virginia Beach? She felt the moment before it even happened. “Of course, I knew it was fast because I could feel the energy of the people in the stands,” she said. “Like, I honestly, I could feel that they were like, ‘Oh my god, something is about to go down.’ I could just feel that in the air, so I think that just helped me kind of get to the line as fast as possible.” And just like that, she didn’t just run—she made history. But it did come up with the prize tags!!

Injuries tried to stop her but track and field kept her going

When Isabella Whittaker and her sister, Juliette, were little, their parents had a plan—track and field was the goal, but not yet. They didn’t want them to start too young and burn out, so they threw them in the pool instead. Seven years of swimming built their mental toughness. Isabella was so good, she even landed an academic grant for swimming. But when the time came to choose between the track and the pool, the decision wasn’t too hard.

Isabella was outrunning most of the boys in their small private school league—until Juliette joined the team and outran her. That sibling rivalry pushed them both, but the real problem? Swimming never lets them recover. “Now, after every workout, we have a recovery day where we just have to run a few miles easy. We never got that in swimming,” Juliette explained.

With the track demanding more time, Isabella made the switch. “By swimming, I couldn’t give track 100 percent. I made the switch over and never looked back,” she said. And honestly? Best decision ever. Her decision proved to be the best choice because we discovered her true capabilities.

Isabella experienced more challenges during her journey beyond apparent success. During her sophomore year at Penn, she acquired a back stress fracture. Six months away from the track and field. Any sportsperson could find their spirit destroyed by this severe problem. But not Isabella. Juliette witnessed her sister engaging in a fierce battle to recover. Her sister completely trusted her to return to her previous level. After facing that setback she achieved exactly what she had planned. But then another heartbreak!

2024 hit her with another one. At the NCAA Indoor Championships Isabella had secured spots in both 400m and 4x400m relay events yet she missed out on taking part due to injury. Another injury, another missed opportunity. Through her consistent strength, Isabella has proven she never stays away for too long. And with the way she’s been tearing up the track now? The world better be ready.