VAN BUREN – Grant Olds could be considered a hurdler. He could be considered a runner. He could be considered a jumper.

He's actually all of those, and more.

"I'm a decathlete," Olds said. "Last year, we decided that I could be pretty good in the decathlon. We got into it last year."

The versatile Olds excelled at doing everything, and his versatility played a key role to Van Buren's first track and field championship.

Olds is the River Valley Democrat-Gazette Track and Field Most Valuable Athlete.

At the Class 5A state seet, Olds won the 200-meter dash (21.85 seconds), finished third in the pole vault (13 feet, 2 inches and sixth in the 110 hurdles (15.15). He also ran on Van Buren's winning 4x100 relay team (41.81 seconds) and 4x200 relay team (1:27.10) for 24 points in the Pointers' 74-73 win, just ahead of Mountain Home.

"It's a really great time to host the state track meet and be a part of it," Olds said. "Running in it at home was really a lot of fun."

During the season, he competed in the shot put and discus, the pole vault, the 4x100, 4x200 and 4x400 relay teams, the 100 and 200, as well as the 110 and 300 hurdles at various meets.

"I hurdled about every other meet," Olds said. "Pole vault is probably my favorite. I've been doing that since the eighth grade. That's what I'm best at."

He won three meets in the 200, three meets in the 300 hurdles, three meets in the 110 hurdles, and one meet in the 100.

At the Meet of Champs two weeks ago, competing against the top track and field performers from all classifications, Olds won the 200.

At the Arkansas High School Decathlon last week, Olds finished third overall with 5,972 points, which is Van Buren's best finish at the decathlon since Taylor Stockemer also finished third in 2007. Olds won the pole vault, finished third in the 100 and discus, and fourth in the 110 hurdles.