PITTSBURG, Kan. – Senior Anton Kopytko set a new school record and Yves Bilong tied another as the Harding men's track and field team put on a historic display this weekend at the Pittsburg State Invitational and the Washburn Open.
Competing primarily at the Robert W. Plaster Center—the premier indoor venue in the region—the Bisons collected two event titles and several NCAA provisional qualifying marks as they sharpen their form for the national championships in Virginia Beach this March.
Kopytko Resets Long Jump Record
Senior Anton Kopytko provided one of the weekend's most significant highlights in the long jump. Kopytko earned a runner-up finish with a massive leap of 7.49m (24-7), officially breaking his own school record of 24-06.50 set during the 2025 season. The mark also serves as a strong NCAA provisional qualifier.
Bilong Ties School Record in Triple Jump
Senior Yves Bilong headlined a dominant day for the Bison jumps crew, winning the triple jump title with a leap of 15.55m (51-0.25). The mark is a significant milestone, as it exactly ties Bilong's own school record set in 2024.
The Bisons showcased immense depth in the event, taking three of the top seven spots. Freshman Nathan Boulay took fourth (14.83m) and Artem Konovalenko took seventh (14.68m).
Ruwende Leads the Sprints
Caledon Ruwende provided the spark on the track, capturing the 200-meter dash title with a time of 21.26 seconds. While just shy of his own school record of 21.10 set earlier this season, the performance was more than enough to claim first place and comfortably surpass the NCAA provisional standard.
Ruwende also showcased his elite speed in the 60-meter dash, navigating a massive preliminary field of over 50 sprinters to take sixth in the finals with a time of 6.81 seconds.
The Bisons' depth in the sprints was evident as Brendon Muvimi (22.42), Donald Nwamere (22.45), and Jaxon Hardy (22.66) all posted strong times in the 200m. In the 4x400-meter relay, the quartet of Asher St. Pierre, Emmanuel Ragira, Ruwende, and Dillon Williams combined for a fifth-place finish in 3:17.40.
Vertical Jumps, Throws, and Distance
The Bisons showed impressive depth in the pole vault across both meet locations. At Pittsburg State, Everett Mumme placed third in the Invitational section, clearing 4.91m (16-1.25), while Hutson Davis took sixth at 4.36m. Meanwhile, at the Washburn Open, Isaac Hodges secured a third-place finish in the Friday Open section, clearing 4.55m (14-11).
In the throwing rings, freshman Nate Rivers had a standout day, placing eighth in the shot put with a toss of 15.94m (52-3.75). Kole Crawford finished 11th with a mark of 15.15m.
On the track, sophomore Dillon Williams placed eighth in the 800-meter run (1:54.80), while Brady Axtell led the distance group in the 3,000 meters with a 10th-place finish in 8:41.21.
Multi-Events at Washburn
At the Washburn Open and Multi in Topeka, Harding's heptathletes completed the grueling two-day, seven-event competition. Junior Emileano Landers led the Bison pair, finishing 15th overall with 4,162 points. Freshman Isaac Pratt followed closely in 17th place with a total of 4,132 points.
Up Next
The Bisons return to action on Saturday, Feb. 7, traveling to Fayetteville, Arkansas, for the Wooo Pig Classic at the University of Arkansas's Randal Tyson Indoor Track Center.
