It won’t count for record or all-time list purposes, but Hammonton junior Anthony Liakhnovich bombed one of the top shot put throws in South Jersey history Tuesday in a dual meet.
Liakhnovich threw 61-2 in a dual meet against Oakcrest and Atlantic City Institute of Technology in Hamilton Township.
That would rank 16th in South Jersey history indoors or out if he threw it in a major meet. It would be No. 15 on the all-time outdoor list.
Although marks recorded in dual meets are eligible for school records, they aren’t included in our all-time South Jersey lists, a policy we instituted when we started putting these lists together years ago because of officiating inconsistencies at dual meets. Ed Grant, who put together the original all-time New Jersey lists in his New Jersey Track newsletter and annuals starting in the mid-1960s, had the same policy.
But it doesn’t mean Liakhnovich didn’t have a huge meet. He opened with the 61-2 and then threw 56-2 and 57-1.
The official Atlantic County record is 61-4 set by Kofi Yamoah of Egg Harbor Township at the 2013 South Jersey Invitational at Buena.
Liakhnovich’s previous PR and his big-meet PR was a 59-10 this past Saturday at the Rebel Relays at Howell High School in his 2024 outdoor debut. That’s No. 3 in New Jersey this year. He threw 56-10 ¼ indoors at Cherokee in January and his best throw last spring as a sophomore was 49-11.
Liakhnovich’s next few meets are the Bridgeton Relays Saturday, Woodbury a week from Saturday, the Delsea Crusader Field Meet on April 25 and the South Jersey Invitational on May at Delsea.
All-Time South Jersey 60-Foot Shot Put List [combined indoor / outdoor]
70-8 … Braheme Days Jr. [Bridgeton], 2012 [i]
64-10 1/2 … Jon Kalnas [Paulsboro], 1997 [o]
64-6 1/4 … Ron Dayne [Overbook], 1996 [o]
64-5 … Ray Wilks [Bridgeton], 1995 [o]
64-4 1/4 … Chris Robinson [Penns Grove], 1990 [o]
63-1 ¾ … Nick Pulli [West Deptford], 2014 [i]
63-2 ½ … Jason Nwosu [Delsea], 2022 [o]
63-0 … Lou Gordon [Bridgeton], 1995 [o]
62-7 ¾ … Kamron Kobolak [Cinnaminson], 2018 [i]
61-10 1/2 … Harry Dilts [Pitman], 1971 [o]
60-10 ¾ … John Purvis [Winslow Twp.], 2020 [i]
61-6 … Josh Awotunde [Delsea], 2013 [o]
61-4 1/2 … Bubba Green [Millville], 1976 [o]
61-4 … Kofi Yamoah [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2013 [o]
61-2 1/4 … Matthew Huckabee, [Timber Creek], 2010 [o]
61-2 … Anthony Liakhnovich [Hammonton], 2024 [o]
60-11 ……. Lucciano Pizarro [Cherokee], 2019 [o]
60-3 … Donate Rivera [Pleasantville], 2012 [o]
60-3 … Harry Dilts [Pitman], 1971 [i]
60-1 … Damere Lassiter [Glassboro], 2024 [i]
60-0 ½ … Ell Ash [Willingboro], 2004 [i]
60-0 ¼ … Jonathan Harris [Delsea], 2024 [i]
60-0 … Ryan Knight [Delsea], 1994 [o]
All-Time South Jersey Outdoor 60-Foot Shot Put List
68-8 ½ … Braheme Days Jr. [Bridgeton], 2012
64-10 ½ … Jon Kalnas [Paulsboro], 1997
64-6 ¼ … Ron Dayne [Overbook], 1996
64-5 … Ray Wilks [Bridgeton], 1995
64-4 ¼ … Chris Robinson [Penns Grove], 1990
63-2 ½ … Jason Nwosu [Delsea], 2022
63-0 … Lou Gordon [Bridgeton], 1995
62-10 ¼ … Nick Pulli [West Deptford], 2014
61-11 ¾ … Kamron Kobolak [Cinnaminson], 2018
61-10 ½ … Harry Dilks [Pitman], 1971
61-6 … Josh Awotunde [Delsea], 2013
61-4 ½ … Bubba Green [Millville], 1976
61-4 … Kofi Yamoah [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2013
61-2 ¼ … Matthew Huckabee, [Timber Creek], 2010
61-2 … Anthony Liakhnovich [Hammonton], 2024 [o]
60-11 ……. Lucciano Pizarro [Cherokee], 2019
60-7 ½ … Ell Ash [Willingboro], 2004
60-3 … Donate Rivera [Pleasantville], 2012
60-11 ½ … Ryan Knight [Delsea], 1994
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 