HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Harding’s men used two distance championships and a relay title to score a second-place finish at the NCAA South Region Meet on Saturday. Kenyans Philip Biwott and Daniel Kirwa both notched first-place finishes, as did Harding’s 4x400-meter relay team.
Harding finished with 146 points, trailing only Morehouse’s 193 points. Schools from the Gulf South Conference, Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and Sunshine State Conference competed in the event.
Biwott, a sophomore, won the 3,000 meters in 8:55.19, his first career win in the event and his second career outdoor track victory. Kirwa’s time of 15:16.94 in the 5,000 meters gave him his ninth victory in 10 career 5,000-meter races and his 16th career outdoor track win.
The mile relay team of Kory Howard, Milton Stewart, Eddie Russ and Blake Arnold won in 3:13.85, an NCAA provisional time that could qualify them for the national meet.
Harding had several season event best marks in the meet. Jermaine Blanchard’s time of 15.45 in the 110 hurdles was the best by a Bison this season. Other included Matt Voss (400 hurdles, 56.35 and javelin, 135-10); Logan Callier (high jump, 6-04.00); and Josh Winslager (pole vault, 13-06.25).
The South Region Meet concluded the outdoor season for the Harding men, however, Kirwa and possibly Biwott will be competing in the 10,000 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Charlotte, N.C., on May 20-22. The 4x400 relay team could also qualify.
Kirwa is the two-time defending national champion in the 10,000 meters.