The University of Mississippi Athletics

Bullock, Cole

Cole Bullock Wins Men’s 5K to Pace Rebels at Day Two of SEC Indoor Championships

2/26/2021 | Track and Field

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Ole Miss track & field freshman Cole Bullock turned heads with an impressive win in the men's 5K to pace the Rebels at another great day of the 2021 SEC Indoor Championships on Friday.
 
Bullock, the reigning SEC cross country runner-up, entered the meet ranked fifth in the SEC in the 5K, but he played his cards just right, dropping the hammer to take the lead with about 300 meters to go. The move paid off brilliantly as he cruised those final 300 meters and across the line easily at 13:59.10 for the SEC title and the gold medal, flashing the Ole Miss standard Fins Up as he did so for the third Rebel gold medal this week.
 
"I knew I had to make a move, and when I made it I had to really commit to it," Bullock told ESPN's John Anderson after the race. "The original plan was to go out with 1K left if I was feeling good, but I wasn't feeling too great. But with two laps to go I decided to kick it in and stick with it."
 
Bullock is the fourth Rebel to ever win the men's 5K, joining the likes of Pablo Sierra (1993), Ryan Walling (2016) and MJ Erb (2017). When jokingly asked by Anderson why a freshman was standing atop the podium, he had a simple quip in return: "Guess it's time."
   
The Rebel women had a sizable haul in their 5K final on Friday as well, scoring eight points from three different Ole Miss runners. Senior Anna Elkin continued to light the track on fire, this time clocking an eight-second PR of 16:13.38 to finish fourth overall – the second-best time in school history narrowly missing out on Mary Alex England's 2017 record of 16:12.67. Friday's race is just the latest in a line of superb outings for Elkin, who broke the school record in the 3K at Vanderbilt two weeks ago (9:17.19) and briefly held the record in the mile (4:46.23), which now ranks fourth.
 
Also scoring for Ole Miss were sophomore Ryann Helmers in seventh place at a PR 16:36.13 (No. 10 all-time), and senior Victoria Simmons in eighth at 16:39.39.
 
Bullock wasn't the only Rebel to claim a medal, as All-American senior Allen Gordon claimed a tie for the bronze in the men's high jump. Gordon tied for third at 2.08m (6-09.75), his second career SEC medal after taking bronze in the long jump indoors in 2019. Speaking of the long jump, Gordon pulled double-duty in that event immediately after the high jump, where he finished 10th at 7.53m (24-08.50).
 
Freshman Samara McConnell scored in her first SEC meet on Friday, chipping in for the Rebel women with a sixth-place finish in the pole vault. McConnell tied her PR at 4.20m (13-09.25), the third-best height in school history and third-best by a freshman nationally in 2021.
 
Ole Miss set itself up nicely for Saturday as well, with seven Rebels qualifying for finals after solid semifinal performances on Friday.
 
The Rebel men efficiently took care of business in the mile semifinal, snaring the top three auto-qualifier spots. Everett Smulders led the way at 4:05.01, followed by Waleed Suliman (4:05.04) and Dalton Hengst (4:05.36). Ole Miss is looking to get back into the win column in the men's mile after becoming the first SEC school to win five in a row from 2015-19. Smulders and Suliman were both on the gold medal distance medley relay team Thursday night, and both have experience in the men's mile final. Smulders was the bronze medalist as a freshman in 2018, while Suliman was the 2019 champion.
 
Ole Miss claimed two auto-qualifier spots in the men's 800-meter final, with All-American senior John Rivera Jr. leading the way and looking to avenge a narrow podium miss last season. Rivera led all runners in the semifinal at 1:49.22, and Baylor Franklin took an AQ spot as well in fourth at 1:50.10.
 
Two Rebels punched their tickets to Saturday's finals on the women's side. Sophomore newcomer Sintayehu Vissa's late push over the last few feet of the women's 800-meter semifinal paid off, as she snagged one of the final time qualifier slots at 2:07.73.
 
All-American junior Brandee Presley was in a similar boat, earning a time qualifier spot in the 60-meter dash final after tying her season-best 7.35 in Friday's semifinal.
 
Competition resumes for Ole Miss at the final day of the SEC Indoor Championships at 12 p.m. CT with the men's pole vault and men's shot put. SEC Network+ coverage will begin at 12:25 p.m. CT.
 
Women's Team Scores (Through Seven Events)
1. #4 Georgia – 49
2. #21 Ole Miss – 38
3. #1 Arkansas – 37
4. #6 LSU – 36
5. #2 Texas A&M – 23
6. #7 Florida – 22
7. Auburn – 16.5
8. #13 Alabama – 16
9. #12 Kentucky – 14
10. #17 Tennessee – 8
11. Mississippi State – 7.5
12. South Carolina – 4
13. Missouri – 1
13. Vanderbilt – 1
 
Men's Team Scores (Through Six Events)
1. #3 Arkansas – 57
2. #2 LSU – 34
3. #10 Ole Miss – 25
4. #15 Alabama – 20
5. Auburn – 19
6. #9 Georgia – 17
7. #12 Tennessee – 16
7. #16 Texas A&M – 16
9. #8 Florida – 15
10. Missouri – 8
11. South Carolina – 5
12. #17 Kentucky – 2
-- Mississippi State – 0
 
Day Two Medalists
Cole Bullock – Men's 5K, Gold Medal
Allen Gordon – Men's High Jump, Bronze Medal (tie)
 
Other Day Two Scorers
Anna Elkin – Women's 5K, 4th Place
Samara McConnell – Women's Pole Vault, 6th Place
Ryann Helmers – Women's 5K, 7th Place
Victoria Simmons – Women's 5K, 8th Place
 
Day Two Finals Qualifiers
Baylor Franklin, Men's 800-Meter
Dalton Hengst, Men's Mile
Brandee Presley, Women's 60-Meter Dash
John Rivera Jr., Men's 800-Meter
Everett Smulders, Men's Mile
Waleed Suliman, Men's Mile
Sintayehu Vissa, Women's 800-Meter
 
REBELS IN DAY TWO COMPETITION
 
Women's 60-Meter Dash Semifinal
7. Brandee Presley – 7.35 (q) – Ties SB
 
Men's 60-Meter Dash Semifinal
10. Elijah Dryer – 6.79 – Ties PR
14. Ryan Star – 6.83 – PR, No. 14 all-time at Ole Miss
 
Women's 200-Meter Dash Semifinal
22. Jayda Eckford – 24.29
 
Men's 200-Meter Dash Semifinal
9. Elijah Dryer – 21.08 – PR, No. 2 all-time at Ole Miss
 
Women's 800-Meter Semifinal
7. Sintayehu Vissa – 2:07.73 (q)
 
Men's 800-Meter Semifinal
1. John Rivera Jr. – 1:49.22 (AQ)
4. Baylor Franklin – 1:50.10 (AQ)
22. Griffin Riley – 1:52.85
23. Cade Bethmann – 1:53.45
 
Women's Mile Semifinal
13. Loral Winn – 4:50.43
15. Maddie King – 4:54.57
17. Kristel van den Berg – 4:55.32
 
Men's Mile Semifinal
1. Everett Smulders – 4:05.01 (AQ)
2. Waleed Suliman – 4:05.04 (AQ)
3. Dalton Hengst – 4:05.36 (AQ)
 
Women's 5K Final
4. Anna Elkin – 16:13.38 – PR, No. 2 all-time at Ole Miss, No. 26 NCAA
7. Ryann Helmers – 16:36.13 – PR, No. 10 all-time at Ole Miss
8. Victoria Simmons – 16:39.39
 
Men's 5K Final
1. Cole Bullock – 13:59.10
9. Ben Savino – 14:16.20
15. Nick Moulai – 14:35.92
 
Men's 60-Meter Hurdles Semifinal
11. Kenney Broadnax – 7.95 – Ties SB
 
Men's High Jump
T3. Allen Gordon – 2.08m (6-09.75)
 
Women's Pole Vault
6. Samara McConnell – 4.20m (13-09.25) – Ties PR
14. Alex Brooks – 3.90m (12-09.50)
NH. Elizabeth Nix
NH. Lyndsey Reed
 
Men's Long Jump
10. Allen Gordon – 7.53m (24-08.50)
 
Men's Heptathlon
 
Pierce Genereux – 4,609 Points, 14th Place – PR, No. 2 all-time at Ole Miss
60-Meter Dash: 17th, 7.69 – 653 points – PR
Long Jump: 16th, 6.25m (20-06.25) – 641 points – PR
Shot Put: 11th, 11.46m (37-07.25) – 574 points – PR
High Jump: 12th, 1.81m (5-11.25) – 636 points – SB
60-Meter Hurdles: 14th, 8.90 – 768 points – PR
Pole Vault: 10th, 4.35m (14-03.25) – 716 points
1000-Meter: 15th, 3:04.46 – 621 points – PR
 
Peyton Lowery – 4,354 Points, 16th Place – PR, No. 4 all-time at Ole Miss
60-Meter Dash: 15th, 7.44 – 732 points – PR
Long Jump: 15th, 6.35m (20-10.00) – 664 points – PR
Shot Put: 16th, 10.01m (32-10.25) – 486 points – PR
High Jump: 13th, 1.78m (5-10.00) – 610 points
60-Meter Hurdles: 15th, 9.31 – 679 points – PR
Pole Vault: 14th, 3.65m (11-11.75) – 522 points – PR
1000-Meter: 12th, 3:00.31 – 661 points – PR
 
-----
 
Day One Medalists
Marcus Dropik – Men's DMR, Gold Medal
Mario Garcia Romo – Men's DMR, Gold Medal
Jasmine Mitchell – Women's Weight Throw, Gold Medal
Everett Smulders – Men's DMR, Gold Medal
Waleed Suliman – Men's DMR, Gold Medal
Shey Taiwo – Women's Weight Throw, Silver Medal
 
Other Day One Scorers
Toni Glatz – Women's DMR, 4th Place
Maddie King – Women's DMR, 4th Place
Sintayehu Vissa – Women's DMR, 4th Place
Loral Winn – Women's DMR, 4th Place
Jalani Davis – Women's Weight Throw, 5th Place
 
REBELS IN DAY ONE COMPETITION
 
Women DMR
4. Loral Winn, Toni Glatz, Sintayehu Vissa, Maddie King – 11:04.27 – School Record, 8th NCAA
 
Splits:
Winn (1200m) – 3:23.81
Glatz (400m) – 55.03
Vissa (800m) – 2:05.45
King (Mile) – 4:40.00
 
Men's Distance Medley Relay
1. Waleed Suliman, Marcus Dropik, Everett Smulders, Mario Garcia Romo – 9:29.35 – SEC Meet Record, School Record, 4th NCAA
 
Splits:
Suliman (1200m) – 2:57.07
Dropik (400m) – 48.53
Smulders (800m) – 1:49.07
Garcia Romo (Mile) – 3:54.69
 
Women's Weight Throw
1. Jasmine Mitchell – 23.24m (76-03.00) – No. 1 NCAA, No. 6 World, No. 2 all-time at Ole Miss
2. Shey Taiwo – 23.04m (75-07.25) – No. 2 NCAA, No. 7 World, No. 3 all-time at Ole Miss
5. Jalani Davis – 20.82m (68-03.75) – Ties PR, No. 6 all-time at Ole Miss
 
Men's Weight Throw
9. Joseph Benedetto – 20.73m (68-00.25)
18. Joseph Lanham – 17.64m (57-10.50)
 
Women's Pentathlon
 
Sara Van Aken – 3,488 Points, 12th Place – SB
60-Meter Hurdles: 12th, 9.15 – 879 points – PR
High Jump: 9th, 1.68m (5-06.00) – 830 points
Shot Put: 9th, 10.49m (34-05.00) – 562 points – PR
Long Jump: 13th, 5.28m (17-04.00) – 637 points
800-Meter: 12th, 2:39.35 – 580 points – SB
 
For more information on Ole Miss Track & Field and Cross Country, follow the Rebels on Twitter (@OleMissTrack), Facebook and Instagram.
 

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