Isabella Whittaker wins NCAA 400 m in the USA & Collegiate Record

Virginia Beach, va. -A Seltelling performance of Razorbach ISABELLA Whittaker at the NCAA indoor championships led to an American and collegial record in the 400 m when she blew up a global time of 49.24 seconds in the Virginia Beach Sports Center.

Arkansas ended a three-way draw for fourth place in the team ranking with 31 points. Oklahoma and Washington came to the Razorbacks. Oregon won the team championship with 55 points via Georgia (39) and USC (35). The remaining top -10 teams included Texas A & M (27), Illinois (25.5), BYU (24) and Texas Tech (21.5).

“The team did a fantastic job to hold together,” said Chris Johnson, head coach of Arkansas, friend of women. “We were hit in our mouth yesterday and just wanted to see how these young women would react. We had a really good team meeting this morning and somehow allowed them.

“The character is developed when things don't go on their way. They showed a lot of character today. We started working on this in autumn and there was a climax today. We cannot be more excited. “

The time of Whittaker improved the American and Collegiate record of 49.48, which Razorback Britton Wilson set up in 2023 at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

“It was the big goal since I came to Arkansas,” said Whittaker. “I wanted to become a national champion and had the American and collegial record for a long time. I look forward to doing it a day. I am satisfied with how it came together. I just wanted to put it on the track and I did. “

Whittaker will not only publish a leading time for 2025 worldwide, but will also become No. 2 artists with the same performance No. 2 in the world list ever. She only drives the world record of 49.17 in 2024 from Femke Bol of the Netherlands, which also ran 49.24 last year.

“Isabella is a great athlete and worked very, very hard,” said Johnson. “I and the staff did a fantastic job with this young woman. We are very happy for you and very proud of you.

“She tried to leave Penn and come to Arkansas to be part of the story that we have in the 400 m and our championships in Arkansas. She kept her head lowered, she got better and better every week. We knew that we had the opportunity to do something special if she had a really good run and set it right. She did that, so big to her. “

Whittaker, who had a PR of 49.90 from the SEC clearance, raced in the first section of the 400 m, while Georgia's Aaliyah Butler, the world leader with 49.78, won the meeting on the way to the meeting, 49.97. Another sprinter in Georgia, Dejanea Oakley, was third in 51.14.

“It was a memory that I should do this at any time and only drove my own race,” said Whittaker, who raced against Butler in the last three races she had at SEC and NCAA. “As a memory, it serves to do what I do and didn't worry about someone in my heat, so I actually enjoyed it.

“I also enjoy moving the line with it because I know that it always gets quick when we run against each other. It was a different change. “

Whittaker graduated with a split of 49.70 seconds, when Arkansas claimed the 4 x 400 -M relay in 3: 25.20, which is classified as the No. 3 performance in Collegiate history behind the Razorback Collegiate record of 3: 21.75 of 2023 and an Arkansas 3: 24.09 of 2022.

“I was nervous to go into the season because my legs felt terrible,” said Whittaker. “But I was very excited to do it again when I ran another sub 50.”

The first three legs of the Arkansas relay included Joanne Reid (53.14), Sanaria Butler (51.10) and Kaylyn Brown (51.26). The Razorbacks defeated Georgia (3: 26.07), USC (3: 26.97), Tennessee (3: 27.25) and Texas A & M (3: 30.06).

“We knew we had the opportunity to get a trophy, but we had to win the 4 x 400 -M season,” said Johnson. “We knew we had a shot to do it. These young women drove with their hearts and did their best. We look forward to being a trophy team. “

Rachel Glenn took third place in the high jump with an release of 6 to 3.25 (1.91), while a tie on Elena Kuppenko from Texas Tech occurred between Temitopa Adeshina from Texas Tech at 6-4.25 (1.94). Razorback Sydney Billington took the 12th place with a release of 5-10.75 (1.80).

Paityn Noe raced into the 3,000 m and received a few team points with a seventh place in 9: 03.78.