No. 9 Harding Track Dominates at Weekend Meets, Sets Five School Records

PITTSBURG, Kan. – Harding sophomore Vlad Malykhin achieved the second-highest pole vault clearance in Division II history over the weekend, scaling 5.62m (18-5.25) at the Tyson Invitational hosted by the University of Arkansas at Randall Tyson Track. Malykhin succeeded on his third attempt at the height before missing twice at the Division II record of 5.72m (18-9.25), established by Billy Olson of Abilene Christian in 1982.

The rest of Harding's ninth-ranked Division II team participated in the 9th Annual Indoor Gorilla Classic at the Robert W. Plaster Center in Pittsburg, Kansas. The team amassed seven NCAA provisional marks and shattered four school records.

Dakarai Bush secured second place in the 200 meters with a time of 21.33 seconds, setting an indoor personal record and a new school record. He broke teammate Tad Kirby's previous mark of 21.82 from last season. Bush, currently ranked 18th nationally in the 200 meters, also set a new school record in the 400 meters, winning the event in 47.17 seconds, surpassing his previous mark of 47.30 seconds. This provisional time places him fourth nationally in the event.

Freshman Josphat Meli clinched victory in the 3,000 meters with a time of 8:00.95, breaking the school record set by Nehemia Too in 2018. Meli's time ranks 11th in Division II this season.

Junior Savian Bush narrowly missed the school record in the 60-meter hurdles, recording a provisional time of 7.94 seconds in the preliminaries. Dwayne Allen's school record of 7.90 seconds has stood since 1981. Bush finished seventh in the final with a time of 8.06 seconds, placing him 15th nationally in the event.

Harding's 4x400-meter relay team of Bryan Singleton, Samuel Williams, Derick St. Jean, and Dakarai Bush secured third place with a time of 3:12.82, breaking the school record set in 2022. This time ranks 16th nationally in Division II this season.

Senior Jonathan Wall finished fourth in the pole vault with a clearance of 4.87m (15-11.75), while sophomore Anton Kopytko took second place in the long jump, landing at 7.41m (24-3.75).

Currently, Harding's men's team has nine athletes and one relay team in contention for selection to the national meet. Notable rankings include Dakarai Bush (18th in the 200 meters, fourth in the 400 meters), Josphat Meli (11th in the 3,000 meters, 12th in the 5,000 meters), Savian Bush (15th in the 60-meter hurdles), Vlad Malykin (first in the pole vault), Anton Kopytko (seventh in the long jump), Yves Bilong (fourth in the triple jump), and Kelmen de Calvalho (fourth in the heptathlon).

Next, Harding will compete at the Don DeNoon Invitational on Saturday in Carbondale, Illinois, hosted by Southern Illinois University.

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Players Mentioned

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

Savian Bush: H; 6' 2"; Sophomore

Tad Kirby: S; 5' 10"; Junior

Jonathan Wall: PV; 5' 9"; Senior

Samuel Williams: S; Sophomore

Yves Bilong: J; 6' 0"; Freshman

Bryan Singleton: S; 5' 11"; Freshman

Anton Kopytko: J; 6' 4"; Freshman

Vlad Malykhin: PV; 6' 1"; Freshman

Derick St. Jean: S; 6' 1"; Junior

Players Mentioned

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

Savian Bush
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: H

Tad Kirby
: 5' 10"; Junior
: S

Jonathan Wall
: 5' 9"; Senior
: PV

Samuel Williams
: Sophomore
: S

Yves Bilong
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: J

Bryan Singleton
: 5' 11"; Freshman
: S

Anton Kopytko
: 6' 4"; Freshman
: J

Vlad Malykhin
: 6' 1"; Freshman
: PV

Derick St. Jean
: 6' 1"; Junior
: S