Vlad Malykhin's Record-Setting Pole Vault Performance Propels Harding to Top 10 Finish at Indoor Nationals

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Saturday could not have gone much better for the Harding men's indoor track and field team.

"Pretty solid day," said understated Harding head coach Don Hood.

Harding had four competitors earn All-America honors Saturday with freshman Vlad Malykhin winning the national championship in the pole vault at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships, held at the Virginia Beach Sports Center.

Harding scored 20 points in the meet, tied for the most points the Bisons have ever scored at the Division II national meet. Harding tied for 10th overall, its third top-10 finish in the NCAA era and first since a 10th-place finish in 2009. Harding's highest NCAA finish was eighth in 2008 and highest-ever finish was seventh at the NAIA meet in 1966.

Malykhin, a native of Shostka, Ukraine, cleared 5.52 meters or 18 feet, 1.25 inches. It was the highest clearance ever at the NCAA II indoor nationals, the third-highest ever recorded in Division II, the highest ever at the Virginia Beach Sports Center, and a Harding school record.

In winning the event by almost five inches, Malykhin earned Harding's 11th All-America honor in the pole vault and second national championship, joining Dorian Chaigneau in 2021. He earned 10 points for Harding's team with the victory.

Malykhin is Harding's sixth indoor track and field national champion.

But Malykhin was not the only Bison putting points on the board Saturday.

Sophomore Antiwain Jones scored four points for Harding with a fifth-place finish in the high jump.

Jones, a native of Marianna, Arkansas, became Harding's seventh All-American in the indoor high jump by tying his school record with a clearance of 2.15 meters or 7 feet, 0.50 inch. Harding's last indoor high jump All-American was Hall of Famer Te Howard in 1989.

Dakarai Bush, a native of Tatum, Texas, earned his second All-America honor of the weekend with a sixth-place finish in the 60-meter hurdles in 7.95 seconds.

Bush became only Harding's second indoor All-American in a hurdle event. Dwayne Allen won the national championship in 1981 in the 60-yard hurdles. Bush earned Second Team All-America on Friday with a ninth-place finish in the 400 meters.

Harding's fourth All-American of the day was freshman triple jumper Yves Bilong, a native of Saint-Gilles, France.

Bilong placed sixth in the triple jump with a mark of 15.13 meters or 49 feet, 7.75 inches on his second of six jumps.

He became Harding's first-ever All-American in the indoor triple jump.

Bush and Bilong both earned three points for their sixth-place finishes.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Dorian Chaigneau: PV; 5' 7"; Sophomore

Dakarai Bush: H/S; 6' 2"; Senior

Antiwain Jones: J; 6' 0"; Sophomore

Yves Bilong: J; 6' 0"; Freshman

Vlad Malykhin: PV; 6' 1"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Dorian Chaigneau
: 5' 7"; Sophomore
: PV

Dakarai Bush
: 6' 2"; Senior
: H/S

Antiwain Jones
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: J

Yves Bilong
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: J

Vlad Malykhin
: 6' 1"; Freshman
: PV