Written by Eli Dean // Photo provided by Brylee Stewart
The Harding men’s track team is coming off a week with records broken and increased anticipation for the season ahead. The team had two separate meets last weekend, the Ole Miss Classic in Oxford, Mississippi, and the Dan Veach Invitational in Magnolia, Arkansas, and each brought success for the Bisons.
In Oxford, junior Antiwain Jones placed first in the high jump at 2.09 meters, and he still holds the record mark for high jump in DII this season. Coming off of being named a Great American Conference Track and Field Athlete of the Week alongside teammate sophomore Savian Bush, Jones said he is pushing through as the season winds down this last month until the NCAA Championships.
“As an athlete, there will be good and bad days, but you can’t let the bad days define you as an athlete or as a person,” Jones said. “I believe my teammates are all striving to increase their personal best marks as nationals are slowly coming up.”
For other athletes, the success is hitting all cylinders. After breaking a Harding team record in the javelin throw during the Harding Invitational March 15, sophomore Casen Hammit placed fourth in Oxford with a 56.07-meter throw. Hammit said setting records is always exciting but that he is proud of the overall team growth this season as his teammates also found similar success in their competitions.
“We have already accomplished so much as a team, and we are staying hungry for more,” Hammit said. “We are still working hard to improve, and being in season is only lighting the fire under us all the more.”
The team culture is another big reason why the team is getting victories left and right individually. Hammit said the encouragement he gets from his teammates is playing a large role in his work ethic and that he is ready for what the rest of the season has to offer.
“There is no other team I’d rather be a part of, as they push me to be better on and off the track,” Hammit said. “Some amazing things are happening within this team — both athletically and spiritually. It’s like being a part of a family.”
Another strong category for the Bisons is the discus throw. Harding has a one-two punch going into the national championships with freshman Lukas Stiper and senior Spencer Helms, who have both finished first and second at several meets this season. Helms said the strong start to the year for him and the rest of the team is just the beginning and that they each understand the overall goal of a national championship as the calendar turns to the last full month of competition.
“We are just getting started,” Helms said. “Ultimately, we have a national championship on our minds. It’s what drives our efforts.”
