Jayden Smith hurdles to the top

One of the nation’s smoothest and swiftest college hurdlers learned his craft in Richmond’s West End.

After starring at St. Christopher’s School under Coach Marshall Ware, Jayden Smith is now the Atlantic 10 conference high hurdles champ for Davidson College.

The sophomore won the 110-meter hurdles May 7 in record time (13.42) at the A-10 track and field meet in Amherst, Mass. It also was a facility record.

Smith’s time broke the previous mark of 13.88 set by Rhode Island’s Colin Aina in 2004.

The 13.88 also toppled the facility mark of 13.98 set by George Mason’s Tony Williams in 2014.

At the time Smith ran the 13.42 (May 2023), it was the seventh fastest time in the nation this spring.

To show it was no fluke, Smith broke the old meet record twice, running a 13.54 in the