From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

In one of the greatest performances in South Jersey track history, Eastern sophomore Natalie Dumas won a national title in the 400-meter hurdles with the 4th-fastest time ever run by.a New Jersey high school girl.

Dumas, one day after a Meet of Champions triple win, ran 58.32 to win the intermediates by nearly two seconds at West Philly Nationals at Franklin Field.

That appears to be 9th-fastest by a sophomore in U.S. scholastic history according to all available data.

The only faster runners in state history are Olympic gold medalist and world record holder Sydney McLaughlin Sydney McLaughlin [53.82], Winslow Township’s Krystal Cantey [56.83 in 2005] and Paterson Kennedy’s Tawana Watkins [57.48 in 2000].

McLaughlin, who ran 55.28 in 2015 at the World Youth Trials in Lisle, Ill., is the only faster sophomore in state history.

On Wednesday at Pennsauken, Dumas won the 400 in 53.16 – 7th-fastest in state history – and the intermediates in 58.98, at the time 7th-fastest in state history. She also anchored Eastern’s winning 1,600-meter relay team, which ran 3:49.01.

A day later across the Schuylkil River, she ran away with the intermediates and wasn’t challenged.

Racing in the 9th of nine sections, she won by a whopping 12 meters over Morgan Roundtree of Oak Park (Mich.) High, a University of Miami commit.

She missed the meet record by just 8-100ths of a second. Myla Green of the Bullis School in Potomac, Md., ran 58.27 in 2022.

Dumas first broke 64 seconds in the intermediates at last year’s state Group 4 meet, where she placed 5th in 1:03.49. She ran 1:02.49 a few days later at the Meet of Champions, placing 3rd. That made her the No. 6 freshman nationally in 2023.

She ran 56.72 for the flat 400 indoors and also ran 2:16.80 for the 800, placing 2nd at states. She dipped under 60 in her first serious intermediates race this spring with a 59.80 at South Jersey Elite at Delsea in early May and then she swept through every race unchallenged, lowering her PR to 58.98 Wednesday and then running away with her first national title a day later.

Her time is 9th-fastest by any South Jersey woman at any point in their life.

Ocean City senior Sophia Curtis placed 9th in 1:01.08.

Earlier Thursday, Dumas anchored Eastern’s sprint medley relay team, which placed 11th in 4:03.31. Her split is not listed. Johnna Gonter, Jasmine Davies and Samantha Osei-Kyei ran the first three legs.

All-Time South Jersey Alumni 400 hurdles list
55.78 … Tonya Lee [Rancocas Valley], April 21, 1996, Walnut, Calif.
56.21 … Krystal Cantey [Winslow Twp.], May 26, 2007, Gainesville, Fla.
56.34 … Aliya Garozzo [Paul VI], May 5, 2024, Princeton, N.J.
56.87 … Evann Thompson [Lenape], May 30, 2014, Jacksonville, Fla.
57.16 … Jewel Ash [Eastern], May 9, 2022, High Point, N.C.
57.31 … Danielle Myricks [Willingboro], May 19, 2002, Columbia, Mo.
57.84 … Arianna Smith [Pennsville], May 6, 2023, Philadelphia
58.28 … Nylah Perry [Winslow], May 27, 2023, Sacramento, Calif.
58.32 … Natalie Dumas [Eastern], June 14, 204, Philadelphia
58.38 … Ste’yce McNeil [Winslow], May 2, 2015, Starkville, Miss.

All-Time U.S. sophomore 400 hurdles list
55.28 … Sydney McLaughlin [Union Catholic, Scotch Plains, N.J.], 2015
57.31 … Jasmine Robinson [North Cobb, Kennesaw, Ga.], 2024
57.48 … Akala Garrett [Albemarle, N.C.], 2021
57.48 … Michelle Smith [Montverde (Fla.) Academy], 2022
57.64 … Charlynna Foster [Central, Clearwater, Fla.], 1995
58.10 … Nonah Waldron [Oak Park, Mich.], 2021
58.16 … Michaela Rose [Landry Academy, Suffolk, Va.], 2019
58.17 … Reonna Collier [Vacaville, Calif,], 2015
58.32 … Natalie Dumas [Eastern Regional, Voorhees, N.J.], 2024
58.33 … Tyra Wilson [Rock Bridge, Columbia, Mo.], 2019
58.50 … Tawana Watkins [Kennedy, Paterson, N.J.], 2000
58.63 … Kendell Williams [Kell, Marietta, Ga.], 2010

All-Time New Jersey 400 hurdles list
53.82 … Sydney McLaughlin [Union Catholic], 2017
56.83 … Krystal Cantey [Winslow Twp.], 2005
57.48 … Tawana Watkins [Paterson Kennedy], 2000
58.32 … Natalie Dumas [Eastern], 2024
58.44 … Amber Allen [Passaic County Tech], 2009
58.6h … Tracy Nelson [Plainfield], 1981
58.91 … Reanda Richards [West Essex], 2018
59.03 … Tonya Lee [Rancocas Valley], 1988
59.16 … Leslie Njoku [McNair Academic], 2007
59.33 … Kim Duke [Mount Olive], 1984
59.35 … Ugonna Ndu [Union], 2009
59.48 … Angela Lee [Franklin Twp.], 1995
59.49 … Shana-Gaye Tracey [Manchester Twp.], 2007
59.56 … Torie Robinson [Winslow Twp.], 2013
59.63 … Morgan Harvey [North Hunterdon], 2013
59.66 … Mandie Dulin [Shawnee], 1997
59.69 … Shelley Mitchell [Lakewood], 1988
59.72 … Abigail Dennis [Old Tappan], 2024
59.73 … Nichole Candelaria [Newark Tech], 2012
59.78 … Siobhan Counts [Plainfield], 2002
59.80 … Sophia Curtis [Ocean City], 2024
59.81 … Erin Crawford [Hillsboro], 2002