RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Great American Conference announced the women’s and men’s track & field top performers of the week for the fourth week of the 2024 season. Harding’s Omolara Ogunmakinju and Oklahoma Baptist’s Jade Byrd won the women’s honors while the Bisons’ Josphat Meli and Vlad Malykhin earned the men’s awards.

#theGAC WOMEN’S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Omolara Ogunmakinju, Sr., Harding, Akure, Nigeria

Ogunmakinju broke both the track and the school record in the 400-meter dash at the Bison Open. She ran a winning time of 52.50 seconds, a time that earned her an NCAA Provisional time. It ranks as the second-fastest in the country. She ran the anchor leg of the winning 4×400-meter relay team that produced an NCAA Provisional time of 3:44.59.

#theGAC WOMEN’S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Jade Byrd, Jr., Oklahoma Baptist, Stratford, Oklahoma

Byrd won the discus and finished second in the hammer at the Arkansas Spring Invitational. Her winning effort in the discus, 48.61 meters, ranks as the second-best throw of her career. It currently ranks fifth in Division II. In the hammer, she threw 49.11 meters, also the second-best effort of her career. 

#theGAC MEN’S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Josphat Meli, Fr., Harding, Eldoret, Kenya

Meli broke the Harding record and Lloyd Track and Field Complex record in the 5,000 after he won with a time of 13:53.94. He finished more than one minute ahead of second place. He broke the 14-minute mark for the first time of his career. His time moved up to fourth in Division II.

#theGAC MEN’S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Vlad Malykhin, So., Harding, Shostka, Ukraine

Malykhin moved into the top position in Division II in the pole vault when he cleared 5.51 meters at the Bison Open. He ranked 0.11 meters ahead of his closest competitor. He cleared 18 feet at an outdoor meet for the first time since the 2023 GAC Championships.

OTHERS NOMINATED

Shackera Douglas, So. (Northwestern Oklahoma State), Kyndall Hicks, So. (Oklahoma Baptist), Belle Lindsey, Fr. (Ouachita Baptist), Olivia Saner, Fr. (Northwestern Oklahoma State), Cadence Sansom, So. (Harding), Anna Woolsey, Fr. (Ouachita Baptist)

Aaryn Anderson, Jr. (Oklahoma Baptist), Caden Callahan, So. (Ouachita Baptist), Matthew Higdon, Gr. (Oklahoma Baptist), Zach Lane, Jr. (Ouachita Baptist)