SEARCY, Ark. – Freshman Benson Lingokal produced a standout national performance in California while senior Noah Haileab and junior Brady Axtell secured individual event wins to lead the Harding men's track and field team across three meets this weekend.
The Bisons split their squad between the Bryan Clay Invitational and Beach Invitational in California and the ASU Alumni Classic in Jonesboro.
California Highlights At the Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa, California, freshman Benson Lingokal made a massive statement in the 10,000-meter run. Competing in the invite section, Lingokal finished seventh in a elite field with a time of 28:45.43. The mark is an NCAA Division II provisional time and ranks as the fastest in the country this season in Division II.
In Long Beach, California, the Bisons took the top two spots in the 5,000-meter run at the Beach Invitational. Senior Noah Haileab won the event in 14:56.34, followed closely by teammate Nate Perry, who took second in 14:58.80.
ASU Alumni Classic (Jonesboro, Ark.) The Bisons found success on the track and in the field at Arkansas State, led by a victory from Brady Axtell in the 1,500-meter run. Axtell crossed the line first in 4:01.29, leading a group of Bisons that saw Aidan Bailey (4:08.90) and Noah Brothers (4:09.32) finish fourth and fifth, respectively.
Other top track performers included:
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Dillon Williams: Placed third in the 400 meters (50.03).
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Marek Krisica: Finished second in the 800 meters (1:56.93).
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Brayden Shine: Took second in the 100 meters (10.99) and fifth in the 200 meters (21.91).
In the field events, sophomore Hayes Cox put together a versatile weekend. Cox won the long jump with a wind-aided mark of 7.14m (23-05.25) and added a seventh-place finish in the discus (45.14m) and an 11th-place finish in the 110-meter hurdles.
Freshman Artem Konovalenko pushed Cox in the long jump, taking second with a leap of 7.13m (23-04.75), and later added a runner-up finish in the triple jump with a mark of 14.82m (48-07.5).
In the vertical jumps, Isaac Hodges led the Harding pole vaulters, placing fifth by clearing 4.92m (16-01.75). The Bisons' throwing corps was paced by freshman Nate Rivers, who took fourth in the hammer (49.93m) and seventh in the shot put (15.24m), while Kameron Kauffman secured a pair of fifth-place finishes in the shot put (15.47m) and discus (46.89m).
Harding returns to competition Friday at the John McDonnell Invitational, hosted by the University of Arkansas.
