Willingboro sophomore Kaila Speight, freshman Maya Bolden, sophomore Jaden Murry and junior Nester Wea smashed the Burlington County 800-meter relay record late Friday night at West Philly Nationals at Franklin Field.
The Chimeras ran 1:39.78, becoming only the 11th New Jersey school to run sub-1:40 for the 800-meter relay.
Willingboro broke the Burlington County record of 1:40.25 set by Rancocas Valley at 2019 Greensboro Nationals by the team of Anabella Chin, Darynn Minus-Vincent, Brianna Snowden and sophomore Sheriyah Nutt.
They broke a 30-year-old school record of 1:41.20 set by Tiffany Butler, Corey Thomas, Kim Hargrove and Kia Van Wright at the 1994 East Coast Relays at Morristown.
Willingboro’s time is No. 6 in South Jersey history and No. 16 in state history.
The Boro came in with a season-best 1:45.87 from the West Deptford Relays in mid-April, so they were not among the top seeds and raced in the 5th of nine sections. But their time held up for 5th-fastest overall, earning All-America honores for Speight, Bolden, Murry and Wea.
All-Time South Jersey 800-Meter Relay
1:38.43 … Winslow Twp., 2018
1:39.21 … Eastern, 2003
1:39.59 … Winslow Twp., 2012
1:39.67 … Winslow Twp., 2019
1:39.67 … Timber Creek, 2023
1:39.78 … Willingboro, 2024
1:40.10 … Timber Creek, 2024
1:40.25 … Rancocas Valley, 2019
1:40.30 … Winslow Twp., 2017
1:40.46 … Eastern, 2019
1:40.62 … Winslow Twp., 2003
1:40.72 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2018
1:40.5h … Woodrow Wilson, 2006
1:40.91 … Winslow Twp., 2004
All-Time New Jersey 800-Meter Relay
1:37.53 … Union Catholic, 2017
1:37.75 … Union Catholic, 2024
1:37.77 … Franklin Twp., 2003
1:37.89 … Union Catholic, 2023
1:38.11 … Union Catholic, 2019
1:38.42 … Franklin Twp., 2001
1:38.43 … Winslow Twp., 2018
1:38.98 … Union Catholic, 2022
1:39.04h … Montclair, 1980
1:39.21 … Eastern, 2003
1:39.54h … Montclair, 1981
1:39.59 … Winslow Twp., 2012
1:39.67 … Winslow Twp., 2019
1:39.67 … Timber Creek, 2023
1:39.76 … Neptune, 2015
1:39.78 … Willingboro, 2024
1:39.79 … Columbia, 2010
1:39.86 … Summit, 2017
1:39.94 … Piscataway, 2011
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 