Harding's Track and Field Triumph: School Records Shattered and NCAA Provisionals Secured at Arkansas Invitational

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Two school records fell and three Harding men provisionally qualified for NCAA Division II indoor nationals Friday as the Bisons competed at the Arkansas Invitational, a meet that included several Division I schools and many professional competitors.

Sophomore Anton Kopytko broke his own school record in the long jump. He placed second with a mark of 7.47 meters (24-6.25). His provisional result has him ranked fourth nationally in the long jump. The NCAA typically invites the top 20 athletes in each event to the national meet in March.

The second record fell in the triple jump, as sophomore Yves Bilong broke his own record with a mark of 15.55 meters (51-0.25). His provisional mark has him ranked second in Division II.

Sophomore Vlad Malykhin, the 2023 NCAA Division II indoor national champion, won the pole vault with a provisional height of 5.40 meters (17-8.50). It was the highest clearance this season in Division II. It was his fourth career indoor event victory in the pole vault.

Harding had competitors in only one running event, the 1,000 meters. Senior Zach Reed was the Bisons' top finisher. He placed 15th in 2:28.84. Sophomore Noah Haileab was 18th in 2:29.66, and senior Tiag Campney was 21st in 2:35.20.

Following Kopytko in the long jump, Harding sophomore Kelmen de Carvalho placed 10th in 6.92 meters (22-8.25). It was a PR and moved him into seventh in the long jump on Harding's career top performers list.

Harding also had four more strong performances in the pole vault. Freshman Everett Mumme, senior Jonathan Wall, and senior Brandon Hanoch all cleared 4.60 meters (15-1), and freshman Elijah Barnes cleared 4.45 meters (14-7.25).

Sophomore Daniel Osoba was ninth in the triple jump, with a PR of 14.07 meters (46-2). He moved to eighth on Harding's top performers list in the triple jump.

Junior Spencer Helms had a PR in both the shot put and weight throw. He was ninth in the shot put at 14.52 meters (47-7.25) and 12th in the weight throw at 14.46 meters (47-5.25). He moved into sixth on HU's top performers list in the weight throw.

Sophomore Kelmen de Carvalho was 11th in the shot put at 14.34 meters (47-0.75), and junior Kenneth Hatly was 10th in the weight throw. He had a PR of 15.20 meters (49-10.50) and moved to fifth on HU's top performers list in the weight throw.

Harding will be back in action Jan. 19-20 at the Vanderbilt Invitational in Nashville, Tennessee.

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Players Mentioned

Tiag Campney: MD; 6' 3"; Junior

Spencer Helms: T; 6' 4"; Junior

Zach Reed: MD; 6' 1"; Junior

Jonathan Wall: PV; 5' 9"; Senior

Noah Haileab: D; 6' 0"; Freshman

Daniel Osoba: S/J; 5' 11"; Freshman

Yves Bilong: J; 6' 0"; Freshman

Kelmen de Carvalho: Multi; 6' 2"; Freshman

Brandon Hanoch: PV; 5' 10"; Senior

Anton Kopytko: J; 6' 4"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Tiag Campney
: 6' 3"; Junior
: MD

Spencer Helms
: 6' 4"; Junior
: T

Zach Reed
: 6' 1"; Junior
: MD

Jonathan Wall
: 5' 9"; Senior
: PV

Noah Haileab
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: D

Daniel Osoba
: 5' 11"; Freshman
: S/J

Yves Bilong
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: J

Kelmen de Carvalho
: 6' 2"; Freshman
: Multi

Brandon Hanoch
: 5' 10"; Senior
: PV

Anton Kopytko
: 6' 4"; Freshman
: J