Tremendous meet Saturday for Eastern’s Rajahn Dixon, who swept the sprints and ran the fastest time in the state this year and one of the fastest in South Jersey history in the 200.
No wind guage at Haddon Township, but Dixon won the 200 in 21.40, which matches the No. 6 time in South Jersey history.
Dixon tied the meet record set by Timber Creek’s Jamaad Muse, who ran 21.40 at the 2014 meet, also at Haddon Township, and he broke a very fast Eastern school record of 21.46 set by Sabli Gonnet when he won the 2007 Meet of Champions at South Plainfield.
Dixon ran a hand-timed 21.5 in a dual meet last week, but his fat PR before this year was a 21.92 indoors at Ocean Breeze. He ran 21.96 at South Jersey Elite at Delsea earlier this month.
He out-raced indoor Meet of Champions winner Premier Wynn of Pennsauken, who was 2nd in 21.70 – which is actually a PR for Wynn. He ran 21.75 to win the MoC at Ocean Breeze.
It appears on his MileSplit page that this is Dixon’s first year of outdoor track, and this was only his 2nd lifetime outdoor 200.
Camden soph Azir Lee, in his first meet of the year, also dipped under 22 in 3rd place with a PR 21.96. Lee, who was at Sterling as a freshman, is the No. 3 sophomore in the state and the first Camden sprinter under 22 seconds since Tahshon Reese ran 21.76 at the 2012 Group 3 sectionals at Egg Harbor.
Dixon also won the 100 in 10.91. He ran a hand-timed 10.6 but his fat PR was 11.02 from Fast Times at Cherokee. He lowered that to 10.96 in the prelims Saturday before winning the final over Pennsauken junior Elijah Jennings, who ran 11.02.
South Jersey now claims three of the five-fastest 200 runners in the state. Dixon is No. 1 at 21.40, Washington Township junior Ajani Dwyer is No. 4 at 21.55 and Wynn is No. 5 with his 21.70.
All-Time South Jersey 200-Meter Dash List
21.06 … Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], 1983
21.07 … Antonio Tarantino [Paul VI], 2018
21.14 … Reuben McCoy [Winslow Twp.], 2004
21.30 … Jah’mir Beasley [Sterling], 2019
21.39 … Martin Booker Jr. [Pennsauken], 2017
21.40 … Lamont Smith [Willingboro], 1991
21.40 … Rob Gary [Lenape], 1998
21.40 … Todd Dutch [Washington Twp.], 2001
21.40 … Jamaad Muse [Timber Creek], 2012
21.40 … Rajahn Dixon [Eastern], 2023
21.41 … Dorian Bryant [Kingsway], 2002
21.41 … T.J. Johnson [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2010
21.43 … Barry Cephas [Winslow Twp.], 2008
21.46 … Brondon Jenkins [Delran], 1994
21.46 … Sabli Gonnet [Eastern], 2007
21.47 … Curtis McIntyre [Bridgeton], 1992
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 