Washington Township junior Dahlia Beasley, in her first 200 of the year, ran the fastest time in New Jersey this year as part of a speedy sprint double.
Beasley, who high jumped at the Woodbury Relays but hadn’t run an open race since early in the indoor season, won the 200 at the South Jersey Open at Delsea in 24.87 – 11th-fastest in Gloucester County history – and took 2nd in the 400 in 56.68 behind Eastern senior Kadence Dumas, who ran 56.64.
Other than summer track, Beasley hadn’t run an open 200 since early in the 2022 indoor season. But at Delsea Saturday at the South Jersey Open, she was first across the line. Second place went to Willingboro sophomore Nester Wea, who ran 24.99 out of an earlier section. More on her later.
The only other girl to run sub-25 this year in New Jersey is Pennsauken freshman Sianni Wynn, who ran 24.90 on the same track Thursday at the South Jersey Elite.
In the 400, Dumas and Beasley posted the No. 2 and 5 times in the state this year and became the first two South Jersey girls under 57. Beasley has a PR of 56.62 from South Jersey Group 4 sectionals last spring at Buena, which is No. 13 in Gloucester County history.
Milesplit credits Beasley with a 25.01 and a 56.47 from 2022, but both times were made in an out-of-season USATF meet in New York and don’t qualify for high school lists. For summer meets to qualify for all-time lists, they must be a continuation of the high school season, such as U.S. Juniors.
Beasley also has a high jump PR of 5-6.
Meanwhile, Wea is the first Willingboro girl to break 25 seconds in the 200 meters in 20 years, since Halimah Bashir ran 24.93 in 2003 and the first Chimera sophomore since Michelle Glover ran 23.56 in 1979. Her time is fastest by any Burlington County or South Jersey sophomore since Sheriyah Nutt ran 24.18 at the 2019 Meet of Champions at Northern Burlington.
Wea’s time is No. 13 on the all-time Burlington County list, and it came in her very first high school outdoor 200-meter dash. She had an official high school 200 PR of 26.86 from the Bubble in February.
All-Time Gloucester County 200-Meter Dash List
23.90 … Denise Liles [Kingsway], 1984
24.19 … Bria Mack [Williamstown], 2017
24.21 … Audrey Wilson [Deptford], 2006
24.32 … Kiara Lester [Deptford], 2015
24.35 … Amirah Sharpe [Clayton], 2021, 2022
24.35 … Arianna Sharpe [Clayton], 2022
24.42 … Dana Burnett [Williamstown], 1996
24.45 … Cecelia Gerstenbacher [Delsea], 2017
24.71 … Jackie Dim [Washington Twp.], 2007
24.85 … Latoya Benson [Washington Twp.], 2001
24.87 … Dahlia Beasley [Washington Twp.], 2023
All-Time Gloucester County 400-Meter Dash List
53.49 … Arianna Sharpe [Clayton], 2022
53.51 … Dana Burnett [Williamstown], 1996
53.60 … Amirah Sharpe [Clayton], 2022
54.62 … Audrey Wilson [Deptford], 2008
55.3h … Lori Lewis [Woodbury], 1978
55.50 … Sabrina Burrell [Delsea], 2014
55.72 … Kiara Lester [Deptford], 2015
55.93 … Brianna Crofton [Delsea], 2009
56.24 … Thaila Cooper [Kingsway], 2013
56.35 … Nicol Corsey [Deptford], 1997
56.37 … Jackie Dim [Washington Twp.], 2007
56.62 … Dahlia Beasley [Washington Twp.], 2022
All-Time Burlington County 200 List
23.69 … Michele Glover [Willingboro], 1981
24.01 … Amandi Rhett [Moorestown], 2000
24.17 … Michelle Brown [Seneca], 2008
24.18 … Sheriyah Nutt [Rancocas Valley], 2019
24.31 … Morgan Gordon [Rancocas Valley], 2009
24.42 … Halimah Bashir [Willingboro], 2002
24.49 … Annie Johnson [Shawnee], 2012
24.55 … Daneille Myricks [Willingboro], 2000
24.61 … Aliyah Tayor [Rancocas Valley], 2018
24.79 … Darynn Minus-Vincent [Rancocas Valley], 2018
24.81 … Jasmine Staten [Lenape], 2015
24.94 … Evann Thompson [Lenape], 2012
24.99 … Nester Wea [Willingboro], 2023
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 