Amirah Sharpe ran the 7th-fastest 400 in South Jersey history Saturday, and twin sister Arianna wasn’t far behind.
The Sharpes raced at the Aggie Invitational at North Carolina A&T University’s Belk Stadium in Greensboro.
Amirah ran 54.19, lowering her previous PR of 55.16 by nearly a second. She ran 55.16 last spring at the Metuchen Relays.
Sharpe’s time is No. 16 in New Jersey and No. 6 in South Jersey history and fastest in 13 years, since Michelle Brown of Seneca ran 52.91 at the 2009 Nike Outdoor Nationals on the same track in Greensboro. It’s fastest by any New Jersey girl since double Olympic gold medalist Sydney McLaughlin of Union Catholic ran 51.87 at the 2016 Meet of Champions at Central Regional in Bayville.
If the Sharpes still attend Clayton, Sharpe’s time is No. 2 in Glouester County history and fastest in 26 years, behind only a 53.51 Dana Burnett of Williamstown ran in 1996 at Outdoor Nationals in Raleigh, N.C.
Amirah Sharpe placed 4th in a field of mainly college quarter-milers, and Arianna was 6th in 54.98.
Although the New Jersey MileSplit database hasn’t updated thee marks, Amirah’s time looks like No. 5 in the country so far this year, and Arianna would be No. 16.
Arianna Sharpe’s time is No. 14 in South Jersey history. Her previous PR was a 56.09 last month at Armory Nationals, and her outdoor PR was 56.58 from last year’s state Group 1 meet at Pennsauken, where she was second to Amirah.
Sharpe’s time also hasn’t shown up yet on the IAAF world lists, but it looks like Amirah would be No. 4 on the world Under-20 list (and No. 4 among American women), and Arianna would be No. 8.
The qualifying standard for the women’s 400 at the U.S. Under-20 Championships scheduled for June 23-25 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., is 55.20, so Amirah and Arianna are both eligible. The qualifying window, which opened on June 9 last year, closes June 12.
Results should be here, but they are still showing the heat sheets.
The Sharpe sisters – Amirah, Arianna and Ariel – competed for Paulsboro as freshman and after the 2020 outdoor season was cancelled, they competed for a club team during the 2021 indoor season, then resurfaced at Clayton, leading the Clippers to the state Group 1 title last spring.
But they have competed exclusively unattatched this spring, and it’s not clear what school they actually attend, so their times are now included in our all-time lists but without a school designation. Athletes are eligible for all our lists as long as they’re attending a South Jersey high school, whether or not they’re competing for the school’s track program.
51.87 … Sydney McLoughlin [Union Catholic], 2016
51.98 … Athing Mu [Trenton], 2019
52.46 … Olivia Baker [Columbia], 2014
52.56 … Mikele Barber [Montclair], 1998
52.91 … Michelle Brown [Seneca], 2009
53.0h … Stephanie Saleem [Neptune], 1985
53.51 … Dana Burnett [Williamstown], 1996
53.64 … Nijgia Snapp [Oakcrest], 2008
53.66 … Giselle Harris [Shabazz], 1986
53.84 … Drexel Long [Monmouth], 1991
54.00 … English Gardner [Eastern], 2007
54.04 … Nadia Davy [Bridgeton], 1998
54.04 … Ajee’ Wilson [Neptune], 2012
54.0h … Natalie Jordan [Paterson East Side], 1984
54.19 … Okechi Ogbuokiri [Willingboro], 2003
54.19 … Amirah Sharpe [Unknown], 2022
54.20 … Emile Cowan [Columbia], 2015
54.21 … Jennifer Edobi [Union], 2014
54.1h … Donithy Jones [Montclair], 1981
54.23 … Symone O’Connor [Franklin Twp.]. 2007
54.31 … Tawana Watkins [JFK-Paterson], 2000
54.33 … Victoria Vanriel [Governor Livingston], 2019
54.34 … Tiffany Grant [Ocean Township], 2019
54.36 … Shakira Dancy [Winslow Twp.], 2018
54.41 … Dennisha Page [Woodrow Wilson], 2019
54.23 … Symone O’Connor [Franklin Twp.]. 2007
54.3h … Regina Trotter [Weequahic], 1981
54.48 … Julia Jackson [Scotch Plains-Fanwood], 2021
54.51 … Katrina Sye [Buena], 1998
54.62 … Audrey Wilson [Deptford], 2008
54.75 … Faleesha Dowe [Penns Grove], 2014
54.93 … Krystal Cantey [Winslow Twp.], 2004
54.98 … Arianna Sharpe [Unknown], 2022
52.91 … Michelle Brown [Seneca], 2009
53.51 … Dana Burnett [Williamstown], 1996
53.64 … Nijgia Snapp [Oakcrest], 2008
53.00 … English Gardner [Eastern], 2007
54.04 … Nadia Davy [Bridgeton], 1998
54.19 … Okechi Ogbuokiri [Willingboro], 2003
54.19 … Amirah Sharpe [Unknown], 2022
54.36 … Shakira Dancy [Winslow Twp.], 2018
54.41 … Dennisha Page [Woodrow Wilson], 2019
54.51 … Katrina Sye [Buena], 1998
54.62 … Audrey Wilson [Deptford], 2008
54.75 … Faleesha Dowe [Penns Grove], 2014
54.93 … Krystal Cantey [Winslow Twp.], 2004
54.98 … Arianna Sharpe [Unknown], 2022
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 