Former Mountie Track Star to Represent Team USA at World Championships
By Joe Hathaway on Wednesday, August 16th, 2023 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
LA GRANDE — Eastern Oregon University proudly announces that alumnus Isaac Updike will represent the USA at the World Athletics Championships, scheduled to take place in Budapest, Hungary later this month.
Last month at the USA Track & Field Championships, Updike recorded a time of 8 minutes, 17.69 seconds, securing a third place finish and the country’s final World Championship berth.
A 2015 EOU graduate, Updike has been a shining beacon in the track and field world since his time at the university. His remarkable journey from a college walk-on to becoming one of the world’s top steeplechase runners is nothing short of inspirational.
“It’s awe-inspiring to see how far Isaac has come,” commented Eastern Oregon’s head track and field coach, Ben Welch. “Isaac is an amazing story: from a walk on to one of the best in the world. I knew he had potential as a freshman given his solid Cross Country times in Alaska, but his evolution as an athlete has been truly remarkable.”
The World Athletics Championships will see Updike reunited with Benard Keter, a runner who he competed against at the NAIA Nationals during their senior season. Keter will also represent Team USA in the steeplechase, an exceptional event where two former NAIA National champions are both donning the Team USA jersey.
During his time in La Grande, Updike set a record with the fastest steeplechase time of 8:47 flat. That same outdoor season, he cemented his legacy as the record holder for the 5,000-meter run, clocking in at 14:17.28. During the indoor season, Updike dominated the 3,000-meter with a record time of 8:23.70 in 2014. He also boasts the fourth all-time best in the Mile at 4:17.28 and ranks tenth in the 1,000-meter run with a time of 2:30.85. Updike’s track & field journey includes an NAIA National Championship title in the steeplechase and a collection of six All-American honors.
“While in college, I would have never thought I’d be where I am today- representing Team USA at the highest level of Track and Field,” says Updike. “It’s not until you look back on how and who got you to where you are that you realize the importance of both. EOU and coach Ben Welch were pivotal in laying the foundation of what I try to embody as a professional runner today.”
Currently, Updike trains primarily in Flagstaff, AZ, under the banner of Under Armour. Over the years, he has established himself as a top athlete in the country, reaching the finals in five USA National Championships and Olympic Trials. Updike claimed the 12th and 5th positions at the 2016 and 2021 Olympic Trials, respectively.
Coach Welch further added, “What a testimony to hard, consistent work and a fantastic opportunity for a very fine young man. While Isaac focused more on soccer during his high school spring sessions, his incredible journey in the world of track and field was unforeseen but truly deserving.”
EOU is thrilled to support one of its own on the global stage, celebrating not only his incredible athletic achievements but also the dedication, resilience, and hard work that led him there. For those interested in following the events closely, the steeplechase heats are scheduled on the first day of competition beginning at 11:35 local time on August 19th.
