Now hear this: Hamburg’s Jaydon Witman sweeps Firing Meet hurdles

By Julie Pelchar Cohen — MikeDragoSports.com senior correspondent

Jaydon Witman was barely a whisper on the Berks County track and field scene a year ago.

He never found the top spot on a podium. His times didn’t warrant a second glance to most onlookers.

But Hamburg’s hurdler didn’t dwell on what he didn’t accomplish.
He only looked ahead.

“I saw that I was the highest-finishing junior,” he said. “I wanted to do something with that.”

Witman has done something indeed, because now he’s creating a roar.

The Hawks senior displayed his newfound speed to sweep the hurdles races during the BCIAA Firing Meet Saturday at Shillington.

Witman was one of three double winners on the boys side. Schuylkill Valley’s Luke Martinez won the pole vault and triple jump. Gov. Mifflin’s Zack Zerbe added an 800 win after successfully defending his 3200 title during Thursday’s opening day.

Exeter won the team title.

Witman showed why he’s one of the county’s fastest hurdlers in recent memory. He cruised to a 14.83 to easily win the 110 hurdles. As the second seed in the 300 hurdles, Witman won with a personal-best 39.83 to complete the sweep.

He couldn’t have been more matter-of-fact while discussing his breakthrough season.

“It’s nice that all the work I’ve put into this is finally paying off,” he said.

In the shorter hurdles race, Witman finished third at last year’s Firing Meet and sixth in the District 3 championships Class 2A final.

Everyone who beat him in both races was a senior.

So Witman set to work in hopes of capitalizing on his position as the top returning hurdler.

He joined Garage Strength, a local training facility best known for producing monster throwers, and has since added speed and explosiveness out of the block.

A packed indoor track season helped him hone his racing skills.

As a result, Witman has lopped a second off last year’s personal best in the 110 hurdles and a whopping five seconds from his fastest 300 hurdles time as a junior.
He’s improved so much that his personal best of 14.55 set two weeks ago at the Schuylkill Valley Invitational ranks as Pennsylvania’s second-fastest 2A time this spring.

Witman has hurdled from relative obscurity to a state title contender. East Juniata’s Josef Book holds the top 2A time at 14.40.

“It is kind of weird that I’m finally at the top of things,” Witman said. “But I know it’s a result of all the work I’ve put into this.”

Witman, whose personal best in the shorter hurdles race is the fastest by a county runner since 2018, believes he can dip lower into the 14s. He left a few ticks on the track Saturday. 

“I know I could’ve gone faster,” he said. “I was too high over the first few hurdles before I got my stride on the last couple and pulled away.”

While Witman comports himself humbly, he’s also quietly confident, appearing unrattled by any hoopla that might surround his newfound status among the state’s elite.

“I definitely have been comfortable with it even if it puts a lot of pressure on me,” he said. 

Hawks hurdles coach Laura Nemes said the cool customer is taking his success in stride.

“He’s an incredibly stable athlete,” Nemes said. “If he has nerves, he doesn’t show it. He always comes ready to win.

“He is confident. I think he knows he is prepared. He’s not arrogant. He’s not cocky. But he definitely knows he can get it done.”