Burlington City senior Malachi James capped his comeback after missing most of the last two years with injuries by shattering the state record in the 100-meter dash Wednesday at the 55th annual Meet of Champions at Pennsauken.
And, yes, there was a wind gauge at Pennsauken this time.
James, who ran 10.18 at sectionals at Pennsauken without a wind gauge, ran 10.28 to race away from the field and win by a whopping four meters over Delbarton senior Ryan Johnson, who was 2nd in 10.65. The wind was +0.3 meters per second, well under the allowable limit of 2.0.
The previous South Jersey state record achieved with a legal wind reading was 10.38 by Washington Township’s Ajani Dwyer in a meet at Delsea last month. Dwyer no longer competes for Washington Township. The wind reading for Dwyer’s 10.38 was 2.0. James’ previous wind-legal PR was his 10.40 at a meet at Icahn Stadium in Manhattan in April.
James won the 2022 Meet of Champions 100 and 200. He’s the 3rd South Jersey sprinter to win multiple MoC 100-meter dash titles. Willingboro’s Kenny Reynolds won in 1985 and 1986 and Salem’s Jonathan Taylor in 2016 and 2017.
Burlington’s only previous Meet of Champions winner was high jumper Demetrius Cope, who cleared 6-6 in 1988 at South Plainfield.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 