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University of Illinois Athletics

2025 Men's Gymnastics Roster

16 Max Farkhadau

  • Position Pommel Horse
  • Class Senior
  • Height 5-11
  • Major Chemistry
  • Hometown Buffalo Grove, Ill.
  • High School Buffalo Grove High School
  • Instagram maxfarkgym
  • Twitter MaxFark16

Biography

NCAA Badge 2023 NCAA Pommel Horse All-American
Big Ten Logo white 2023 Second Team All-Big Ten
 Letterwinner (2022, 23, 24, 25)

Career Highlights

  • Postseason NCAA All-American (2023)
  • CSC All-District Team (2023)
  • 2x Academic All-Big Ten (2023, 2024)
  • Second Team All-Big Ten (2023)
  • Most Improved Gymnast (2023)
  • 2023 Big Ten Distinguished Scholar

Career Highs

Event Score
Pommel Horse 14.600 | at EVO Collegiate Open | Feb. 9, 2024

Senior - 2025

  • Competed in three meets on pommel horse, including both days of the Big Ten Championships
  • Academic All-Big Ten
  • Big Ten Distinguished Scholar

Junior - 2024

  • Academic All-Big Ten
  • Competed in eight meets, primarily on pommel horse 
  • Broke his career high on pommel horse (14.600) at the EVO Collegiate Open on Feb. 9

Sophomore - 2023

  • Academic All-Big Ten
  • Big Ten Distinguished Scholar
  • Saw action in 12 meets
  • Set a career high on pommel horse (14.100) on Jan. 28 against Oklahoma/Air Force
  • Earned postseason All-America honors on pommel horse
  • Second Team All-Big Ten
  • Voted Most Improved by team 
  • CSC All-District Team

Freshman - 2022

  • Made Illini debut at Windy City Invitational 1/15/22, scoring a 10.750 on pommel horse

HIGH SCHOOL/CLUB

  • Trained at Lakeshore Academy under coach Arkadi Andryushchenko
  • 2017 Junior Olympics Pommel Horse silver medalist
  • 2021 Highest Honors

PERSONAL

  • Born Sept. 5, 2002
  • Son of Artsiom Farkhadaf and Viktoryia Farkhadava
  • Built a food pantry with Sleep in Heavenly Peace
  • Competed with fellow Illini Sebastian Ingersoll at Lakeshore Academy
  • Pursing a bachelor's degree in Chemistry
  • Chose Illinois because "It's close to home, I also love the team spirit."

Historical Player Information

  • 16

    2022Freshman

    PH
    16
  • 16

    2023Sophomore

    Pommel Horse
    16
  • 16

    2024Junior

    Pommel Horse
    16
  • 16

    2025Senior

    Pommel Horse
    5'11"
    16