FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Senior Vlad Malykhin reached new heights for the 2026 season Saturday, delivering a dominant performance in the pole vault to lead the No. 9-ranked Harding men's track and field team at the Wooo Pig Classic, hosted by the University of Arkansas.
Competing at the prestigious Randal Tyson Indoor Track Center, the Bisons faced an elite field of Division I and II programs.
Malykhin Reaches the Stratosphere
Vlad Malykhin provided the performance of the meet for the Bisons. The senior cleared 5.45m (17-10.50) to finish as the runner-up in a field dominated by Division I vaulters. The height represents Malykhin's best mark of the current indoor campaign and further strengthens his standing as one of the premier vaulters in NCAA Division II. Malykhin holds program record of 18-05.25 set in 2024.
Harding showed depth in the event, as Isaac Hodges took third with a provisional clearance of 4.85m (15-11) and Kylor Aguilar placed fourth at 4.75m (15-07).
Lingokal Wins the 3,000 Meters
On the track, freshman Benson Lingokal turned in a dominant performance in the 3,000-meter run. Lingokal captured the event title, crossing the finish line in 8:26.13. His victory was the lone individual track title for the Bisons on the day.
In the 800-meter run, sophomore Dillon Williams earned a sixth-place finish, clocking a strong 1:54.29.
Kopytko and Jumps Crew Stay Consistent
Senior Anton Kopytko, who set the school record of 24-07.00 just one week ago, continued his high-level form in the long jump. Kopytko placed second overall with a leap of 7.43m (24-04.50), marking his second consecutive meet with a 24-foot provisional jump.
The triple jump saw a pair of freshmen crack the top 10. Artem Konovalenko placed sixth with a provisional-standard leap of 14.97m (49-01.50), while Nathan Boulay followed in seventh with a mark of 14.75m (48-04.75).
Throws and Sprints
In the shot put, Kole Crawford and Nate Rivers secured back-to-back finishes. Crawford took seventh with a toss of 14.91m (48-11), while Rivers placed eighth with a mark of 14.72m (48-03.50).
The sprint events were a mixed bag for the Bisons. Caledon Ruwende posted a sharp 6.85 seconds in the 60-meter dash preliminaries to finish 15th, but was later disqualified in the 200-meter dash. Similarly, Emmanuel Ragira suffered a DQ in the 400-meter dash. Donald Nwamere led the remaining sprinters with a 22.58-second finish in the 200m.
Up Next The No. 9 Bisons will head to Nashville, Tennessee, next weekend for the Music City Challenge on Feb. 13-14.
