The University has a long history of wheelchair track success and has been the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic National Training Site for Wheelchair Track for the last 11 years. As a result, many high-level paralympic athletes have come to Champaign to train, and their hard work has paid off.
Eva Houston is one of these elite athletes. Although she graduated in 2023, the track star has remained in Champaign to continue her training.
“It’s kind of awesome because we have so many athletes that are able to stick around and train with us because we’re not an official U of I sports team,” Houston said. “We train pretty much all year for races.”
Being able to continue training after graduation opened the door for Houston to participate in the 2024 Paris Paralympics this past summer, and she took full advantage of the opportunity.
“I definitely didn’t take the experience lightly,” Houston said. “I don’t think I ever felt that confident in what I was doing as an athlete before. I think my bronze medal at the Worlds in 2023 was kind of a kickstart to that feeling.”
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Her third-place finish in the T34 800-meter at the World Championships was her best finish in a major event, but she one-upped it in Paris with a bronze on the big stage. Her newfound confidence was built from the experience she gained at the 2021 Tokyo Paralympics when she was younger and less traveled.
“I really did not expect to make the team,” Houston said about the 2021 Paralympics. “I was kind of shocked by the nomination to Team USA. I think I had a lot to learn and that those games for me were a learning experience. I just tried to be a sponge and soak up everything I could learn from teammates and my coach during that time.”
With that experience under her belt, she turned to her coach, Adam Bleakney, to prepare her for the future. Bleakney has been at Illinois since 2005 and coached many former Illini to victories in marathons across the country, as well as World Championship and Paralympic medals.
Illinois wheelchair track has set 14 world records in its history, and Bleakney’s athletes have brought home 55 medals from the Paralympic games. Representing a program with such a rich history means a lot to Houston and is part of why she didn’t take her time in Paris for granted.
“It’s really special,” Houston said. “There’s so much representation from Illinois at the Paralympic games that it almost feels like (Illinois) could be its own country … and I think that’s a testament to how much energy Illinois has put into cultivating a space for athletes.”
Illinois has shown that through its pursuit of Paralympic success and keeping Bleakney around for the athletes. One thing that Bleakney instills in his athletes is the ability to be well-rounded.
While Houston won her medals in the 800-meter, she also competes in marathons. She has completed the Chicago, New York and Boston marathons, illustrating her adaptability across distances. In a full year, she may race the 100-meter, 800-meter, 5k, 10k and marathons.
After years of hard work, Houston has a moment that will last forever. Representing the University and her country, she brought home her first Paralympic medal.
“Illinois really taught me the power of discipline,” Houston said. “I think because it is a long journey, you have to show up every day. Every day may not look good, but you have to show up for those hard days, too. And when you do, you get an outcome like making Team USA or getting a medal … but you can’t do any of that without showing up every day and working.”
@benfader7
