World Athletics Championships High Jump Finalist, Jonathan Kapitolnik, Signs to Illinois Track and Field
November 11, 2025 | Women's Track & Field, Men's Track & Field
NEWS
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Director of track, field and cross country Petros Kyprianou announced the addition of high jumper Jonathan Kapitolnik on Wednesday (Nov.12). He's the top recruit Kyprianou has brought in during his tenure as he was a finalist at the World Athletics Championships this past March.
Kapitolnik will join the Illini in January as a freshman for the 2026 season. He makes his way to Champaign from Israel and own's a personal-best high jump of 2.31m (7-6 3/4) which would be both the indoor and outdoor program records. He boasts a long list of gold medals highlighted by a World U20 Championships win in 2021 clearing 2.26m (7-4 3/4).
His other high jump gold medals includes: winning six-straight Israeli National Championships from 2020-25, a European U20 Championships gold in 2021, and a gold at the European Team Championships in 2025.
