Whitaker clears US #1 at Windy City Pole Vault Summit

Sets Illinois All Time Indoor Best with 18-1 height clearance

By Michael Newman

Rolling Meadows, Ill – Isaiah Whitaker, a junior from Bloomington Central Catholic just keeps going higher and higher in the Pole Vault. He made history Saturday night inside of the Rolling Meadows High School Field House in the northwest suburbs of Chicago when he cleared 18-1 to set a new meet record at the 24th annual Windy City Pole Vault Summit.

Watch Whitaker clearance at 18-1

The two-time IHSA Class 1A State Champion and All-American set a new Illinois indoor best all-time surpassing the 18-0.5 height Zach Bradford cleared at the Armory in New York City in 2018 winning the national championship. Whitaker is now the second highest athlete indoors only behind World and Olympic Champion Mondo Duplantis.

Whitaker is second All-Time All-Conditions behind the 18-2.5 that Bradford cleared in 2018 competing unattached at the USATF Junior Outdoor Championships in Bloomington, Indiana.

Whitaker came into the competition at 16-6, Andrew Nuyen of Rochelle and Lukas Braunc of Oak Park-River Forest made 16-0 on their second attempt. Nuyen and Brauc left the competition at 16-6 missing on all three attempts with Nuyen finishing second, Brauc third. Whitaker cleared that height on his opening attempt.

Then it was down to record business for the junior. He missed on his first attempt at 17-3 but cleared on the second attempt. He was clean after that clearing 17-9 and then the record 18-1 on his first attempt. Whitaker missed on all three attempts at 18-4 ending his evening.

Eva Bach of Lake Park won the Girls competition at this meet clearing 12-6. She entered the competition at 11-0. She was clean early in the competition clearing at 11-6 on her first attempts. She passed at 11-9 and then cleared 12-0 and then the meet winner at 12-3 both on her first attempt. She made 12-6 on her second attempt. Claudia Ifft of Bloomington finished second at 12-0. She avoided elimination clearing 11-9 and 12-0 on her final attempts.

Results  

Patrick Sheridan of York High School contributed to this story