MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Harding’s men and Ouachita Baptist’s women hold leads following Thursday’s events at the 2024 Great American Conference Track & Field Championships.
Harding collected Thursday victories by Anton Kopytko in the long jump, Antiwain Jones in the high jump and Casen Hammitt in the javelin. Kopytko set a meet record with a winning jump of 7.40 meters. Jones won the high jump for the third-straight year. Hammitt also set a meet record with the first throw to clear 60 meters, 64.94 meters.
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The Tigers lead Harding by one point and Oklahoma Baptist by four. They built their lead thanks to a victory by Kate Nachtigal in the steeplechase. She broke the GAC Championship record and earned an NCAA Provisional time by finishing in 10:51.84.
Southern Nazarene’s Abriel Thrash repeated as the heptathlon champion. and Southern Arkansas’ Connor White claimed the decathlon title. Thrash became the first GAC athlete to surpass 5,000 points in the event as she tallied 5,179 points. She won five of the seven events. Her total ranks 13th in Division II.
In the women’s field events, SAU’s Diamond Brunn won the long jump; Kiera Blankinship edged out Thrash in the high jump and Anna-Kay Clark claimed her third-consecutive javelin title
On Wednesday, Harding’s Josphat Meli won the men’s 10,000, by more than 49 seconds while Oklahoma Baptist’s Sophia Strange won the event for the third-straight year. Southeastern Oklahoma State’s Macayla Needham claimed the victory in the women’s hammer throw and Oklahoma Baptist’s Matthew Higdon established a meet record on the men’s side with a winning effort of 63.54 meters.
East Central’s Paul Korir shattered the Championship record in the steeplechase. His winning time of 8:53.85, the 10th-best time in Division II this season, cut 16 seconds off the prior record. His Aspel Kiprob also broke the old record in finishing second with a time of 8:55.43.
Friday’s events begin at 8 a.m. with the 5,000-meter run. Field events start at 10 a.m. The remaining track events resume at 2 p.m. Southern Arkansas streams the event on its YouTube channel.