UPenn photos courtesy of Dan Wilde
 
While she sweated out the declaration process, Bella Whittaker got the news at the Cinderella hour that she had, in fact, been selected to run at the U.S. Olympic Trials for the 400 meters. Twenty-eight athletes in the 400 were selected to run at the 2020 Olympic Trials this past June, and Bella sat at twenty-nine for what seemed like an eternity. While there remained the expectation that several runners would scratch, it was not an easy feeling waiting nevertheless. Â
As she found out she had qualified for the trials, Bella was already in Eugene, Oregon. She had just competed at the NCAA championships in the 400 after earning her spot via the NCAA East Regional Championship. In the finals there, she ran a big personal best of 51.92. Â
At the NCAA championships, Bella would ultimately finish twenty-fourth, but her time of 51.92 allowed her to qualify for the trials. With only nine days between NCAAs and the Olympic Trials, Bella opted to stay in Eugene. Like at NCAAs, Bella finished twenty-fourth at the Trials, but the competition and experience is shaping her vision for the future.
Though only a rising sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania, Bella is not simply content with having competed at two of the most competitive events in track and field. Her expectations and goals are clear. In 2024, the goal is to make the U.S. Olympic team in the 400. She is aware of her strengths and weaknesses, and she is focused on challenging herself, adjusting training, and achieving her goal. Even through losing two seasons to COVID and working with a new coach mid-year, Bella has maintained her vision. Below, Bella talks about her time at the trials, training, coaching changes, and meeting her goals.
2020 (2021) U.S. Olympic Trials Results
https://results.usatf.org/2020Trials/
2021 NCAA Results
https://dt8v5llb2dwhs.cloudfront.net/Outdoor/2021/023-1_compiled.htm
UPenn bio
https://pennathletics.com/sports/womens-track-and-field/roster/isabella-whittaker/19230