Webster Claims 5K Title as Eureka Tallies Four PRs at Viking Olympics

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – The Eureka cross country and distance teams delivered a strong performance Friday at the Viking Olympics, highlighted by four personal records and a first-place finish from Bailey Webster (East Peoria, Ill./East Peoria) in the 5000 meters.

The women opened competition in the 1500 meters, where Zoe Stoecker (Metamora, Ill./Metamora) turned in a solid effort with a time of 7:01.96, just shy of her personal best from the previous week. Stoecker later returned to the track for the 800 meters, making her collegiate debut in the event and recording a personal-best 3:25.17. She continues to show steady progression following a strong cross country and indoor track campaign.

On the men's side, Eureka placed 10th overall, with several standout performances across the distance events. Cole Glover (Hopkinsville, Ky./University Heights) led the charge in the 1500 meters, placing seventh with a personal-record time of 4:12.16 to earn two team points. Bailey Webster followed in 4:19.77 after pacing the early stages of the race into a headwind, while Evan Gillespie (Jacksonville, Ill./Jacksonville) rounded out the group in 6:03.36.

Jose Amador (Kempton, Ill./Tri-Point) opened his outdoor season in the 400 meters, finishing in 57.41 after closing strong over the final 200 meters.

The trio of Glover, Amador, and Gillespie returned for the 800 meters, where Glover again paced Eureka with a seventh-place finish and personal-best time of 2:03.80, adding two more points. Amador posted a season-best 2:19.04, while Gillespie notched a personal-best 2:53.09, trimming more than seven seconds off his previous mark.

Webster capped the day in the 5000 meters with a dominant performance. After sitting behind the leader through the early stages, Webster made his move with six laps remaining and pulled away from the field to win by more than 27 seconds. He crossed the line in 16:07.42, earning 10 points for Eureka and finishing just under a half-second off his personal best.

"Overall it was an excellent day on the track," head coach Chris Robinson said. "Coach Kimbro and I were thrilled to see Cole break through in both the 800 and 1500. The talent has been there all season, and it was great to see the work pay off. We were also really pleased with how Bailey rebounded from a disappointing race in the 1500 and adjusted after the delay to run a really smart 5000."

WOMEN'S RESULTS

800: Zoe Stoecker – 3:25.17 (PR)
1500: Zoe Stoecker – 7:01.96

MEN'S RESULTS

400: Jose Amador – 57.41
800: Cole Glover – 2:03.80 (PR) – 7th (2 pts)
800: Jose Amador – 2:19.04
800: Evan Gillespie – 2:53.09 (PR)
1500: Cole Glover – 4:12.16 (PR) – 7th (2 pts)
1500: Bailey Webster – 4:19.77
1500: Evan Gillespie – 6:03.36
5000: Bailey Webster – 16:07.42 – 1st (10 pts)

UP NEXT

Eureka returns to action next Saturday at the Greenville Select, with competition set to begin at 11 a.m., serving as a final tune-up ahead of the SLIAC Championships on April 24-25.