In a battle of two of the NAIA’s top-ranked hurdlers, Deptford graduate Javon Sanders edged Indiana Tech teammate and top-seeded Ahumad Williams by 1-100th of a second to win the 60-meter hurdles Saturday at the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Champioships.
Sanders ran 7.96 to Williams’ 7.97 at the Alksnis Athletic & Rec Building on the campus of Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Mich. Both ran under the previous facility and conference meet records.
The conference title is the 2nd for Sander,s who won the 110-meter highs at the outdoor WHAC championships last May in Adrian, Wisc.
Coming into the meet, Williams was ranked 3rd in the country in the NAIA at 7.89 and Sanders was 4th at 7.92. Williams led all qualifiers in the trials with a 7.96 and Sanders ran 8.08 in a different semifinal race.
Sanders and Williams both earned All-America honors last winter at NAIA Indoor Nationals in Brookings, S.D., Sanders in 5th in the highs at 7.97 and Williams in 6th with a 7.99. Sanders missed the final at the NAIA Outdoor Championships in Marion, Ind., last spring by 6-100ths of a second after running 14.25. His outdoor PR is 14.22 from his win in last year’s WHAC Championships.
Indiana Tech has a history page on its web site that puts a lot of NCAA Division 1 schools to shame. Great historical stuff, including all-time top-10 lists that show Sanders 3rd in school history indoors and 6th outdoors.
Indiana Tech of Fort Wayne has won nine NAIA national track titles – five indoors and four outdoors, most recently indoors in 2021. This year’s Warrior team is ranked 2nd in the NAIA behind University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, Ky.
The NAIA Championships are scheduled for Feb. 29-March 2 at the Sanford-Jackrabbit Athletic Complex in Brookings, S.D.
Sanders’ 7.92 from earlier this month is tied for 10th-fastest ever by a South Jersey hurdler in the 60-meter highs.
7.50 … Anwar Moore [Camden], Feb. 24, 2008, Boston
7.52 … Jack Pierce [Woodbury], Feb. 25, 1995, Fairfax, Va.
7.72 … Isaac Williams [Willingboro], Jan. 9, 2015, Houston
7.76 … Sincere Rhea [St. Augustine], Feb. 28, 2020, Geneva, Ohio
7.86 … Tyler Garland [Deptford], Feb. 29, 2020, South Bend, Ind.
7.87 … Devon Carter [Washington Twp.], Feb. 28, 2014, Clemson, S.C.
7.89 … Paul Klemic [Mainland Reg.], Feb. 23, 2003, Boston
7.90 … Jalen Walker [Burlington Twp.], March 8, 2015, Boston
7.91 … Dwight Ruff [Camden], Feb. 12, 2005, Ames, Iowa
7.92 … Greg Foster [Lawrenceville Prep / Lumberton], Feb. 10, 2023, New York
7.92 … Javon Sanders [Deptford], Feb. 3, 2024, Ashland, Ohio
7.94 … Jusson Boyd [Willingboro], Feb. 26, 2012, Winston-Salem, N.C.
7.94 … Edwin Alston [Winslow Twp.], Feb. 18, 2017, New York
7.94 … Jusson Boyd [Willingboro], Feb. 26, 2012, Winston-Salem, N.C.
7.96 … Naseem Smith [Deptford], Feb. 2, 2024, Cambridge, Mass.
7.97 … Chais Hill [Highland], Feb. 26, 2016, Geneva, Ohio
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 