Delsea senior Jonathan Harris recorded the best shot put by a South Jersey athlete indoors or out in 13 years Saturday with a 63-8 ½ bomb at the Ott Center.
Harris and Hammonton senior Anthony Liakhnovich both surpassed 60 feet at the South Jersey Track Coaches Association meet in West Philly. Liakhnovich popped a 60-2 on his 6th and final attempt.
Harris’s 63-8 ½ is No. 3 in South Jersey history indoors and No. 6 on the combined indoor-outdoor list. It’s the best throw by a South Jersey athlete since legendary Braheme Days Jr. of Bridgeton threw 70-8 at 2012 Easterns at the Armory.
His throw is No. 18 in state history indoors.
Harris broke the Gloucester County indoor record of 63-1 ¾ set by West Deptford’s Nick Pulli at the 2014 Cherokee Throwdown and the Gloucester County overall mark of 63-2 ½ set by his former teammate, Jason Nwosu, at the 2022 South Jersey Group 3 meet at Pennsauken.
His 63-8 ½ is No. 2 in the U.S. this winter, according to the MileSplit national database, behind Alex Jackson of Peabody (Mass.) Veterans, who threw 66-6 ¼ last weekend in Boston.
Liakhnovich, the Meet of Champions discus runner-up last spring at 181-3, broke the Atlantic County record of 59-9 set at 2013 Easterns at the Armory by Egg Harbor Township’s Kofi Yamoah. Liakhnovich’s previous indoor PR was 56-10 ¼. He threw 62-10 last spring at the SJTCA Open at Delsea. He also broke the indoor school record of 56-11 set by Nate Karl at the 2020 Cherokee Throwdown.
Harris’s previous indoor PR was a 62-0 ½ last week, also at the Ott Center. His outdoor PR is 63-0 ½ at Group 3 sectionals last spring at Delsea.
Harris opened Saturday with a 56-5 ¼ and after a foul hit the big 63-8 ½. He added a 61-3 ¼ on his 5th attempt before finishing with a 59-8 ¼.
Liakhnovich had four fouls in his series and only a 52-45 ¼ on his 1st attempt in addition to his first indoor 60-footer.
All-time South Jersey Indoor 60-Foot Club
70-8 … Braheme Days Jr. [Bridgeton], 2012
63-11 … Ray Wilks [Bridgeton], 1995
63-8 ½ … Jonathan Harris [Delsea], 2025
63-1 ¾ … Nick Pulli [West Deptford], 2014
62-7 ¾ … Kamron Kobolak [Cinnaminson], 2018
62-0 ½ … Jason Nwosu [Delsea], 2022
62-0 ½ … Jonathan Harris [Delsea], 2025
61-9 … Lou Gordon [Bridgeton], 1995
60-3 … Harry Dilks [Pitman], 1971
60-10 ¾ … John Purvis [Winslow Twp.], 2020
60-2 … Anthony Liakhnovich
60-1 … Damere Lassiter [Glassboro], 2024
60-0 ½ … Ell Ash [Willingboro], 2004
New Jersey 63-Foot Indoor List
71-9 ½ … Nick Vena [Morristown], 2011
70-8 … Braheme Days Jr. [Bridgeton], 2012
67-7 … Joshua Huisman [St. Rose], 2024
67-3 … Kevin DiGiorgio [Bayonne], 1998
67-1 ¾ … James Gilligan [Toms River East], 2008
66-6 … Glen DiGiorgio [Bayonne], 2002
65-10 … Steve Adams [St. Joe’s Montvale], 1970
65-6 … Jordan West [Rahway], 2017
65-4 … Cole Tucker [Colts Neck], 2021
65-2 ½ … Greg Cortina [Hun], 1971
64-9 ¾ … Joe Licata [Gill St. Bernard’s], 2022
64-5 ¾ … Luke Grodeska [St. Rose], 2016
64-5 ½ … C.J. Licata [Gill St. Bernard
64-5 ¼ … Bruce Heide [Springfield], 1975
63-11 … Ray Wilks [Bridgeton], 1995
63-11 … Ray Wilks [Bridgeton], 1995
63-10 … Joshua Huisman [St. Rose Belmar], 2024
63-8 ½ … Jonathan Harris [Delsea], 2025
63-8 ¼ … Rudy Guevara [Essex Catholic], 1971
63-6 … Ron Klotzer [Union], 1974
63-5 ½ … Aaron Echternacht [Hopewell Valley], 1991
63-3 ¼ … Mike Alleman [Scotch Plains-Fanwood], 2008
63-2 ½ … Uzoma Orji [Matawan], 2002
63-1 ¾ … Nick Pulli [West Deptford], 2014
South Jersey Combined 60-Foot List
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]
63-8 ½ … Jonathan Harris [Delsea], 2025 [i]
63-2 ½ … Jason Nwosu [Delsea], 2022 [o]
63-1 ¾ … Nick Pulli [West Deptford], 2014 [i]
63-0 … Lou Gordon [Bridgeton], 1995 [o]
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 