Ajani Dwyer, in his first collegiate race, ran the 2nd-fastest 60-meter dash time in Penn State history.
Dwyer, a freshman from Washington Township, ran 6.60 in the qualifying heats at the Bison Opener at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pa.
His time equals the 9th-fastest in U.S. history in the Under-20 category, which means an athlete can’t turn 20 in the year that he records the mark.
It’s also tied for 4th-fastest ever by a New Jersey native and fastest by a South Jersey sprinter since Olympic gold medalist Dennis Mitchell from Edgewood High ran 6.53 in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1994.
The only faster time in Penn State history is the school-record 6.54 by Olympian Cheickna Traore when he won the Big Ten Championships this past February at SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio. Traore, who ran for Snyder High in Jersey City and spent his first three years at Ramapo, went on to win the NCAA title at 200 meters outdoors in 19.95 and ranked 12th in the world last year at 19.93. He ran the 200 at the Olympics, representing his native Ivory Coast.
Dwyer’s previous PR was 6.76 at the Millrose Games at the Armory in February. That was his only high school 60.
Dwyer also broke the facility record of 6.67 set by Toby Makoyawo of Boston University in both the trials and final at the 2022 Patriot League Championships.
The final is coming up later Saturday.
Here’s the all-time New Jersey 60-meter dash alumni list:
6.53 … Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], Feb. 6, 1994, Stuttgart, Germany
6.54 … Cheickna Traore [Snyder], Feb. X, 2024, Geneva, Ohio
6.59 … Michael Garvin [Englewood], Feb. 28, 2009, Blacksburg, Va.
6.60 … Ajani Dwyer [Washington Twp.], Dec. 7, 2024, Lewisburg, Pa.
6.60 … Carl Lewis [Willingboro], Feb. 10, 1989, San Sebastián, Spain
6.66 … Damiere Byrd [Timber Creek], Jan. 25, 2013, Blacksburg, Va.
6.71 … Malachi James [Burlington City], Feb. 24, 2024, Staten Island, N.Y.
6.72 … Anwar Moore [Camden], Dec. 7, 2003, Newport, England
6.72 … Nadale Buntin [J.P. Stevens], Feb. 2,3 2023, Geneva, Ohio
6.74 … A’nan Bridgett [West Windsor-Plainsboro South], Jan. 6, 2023, Staten Island
6.75 … Jamil Benjamin [Cumberland Reg.], Dec. 5, 2008, Ames, Iowa
6.75 … Jeff Porter [Franklin], Jan. 25, 2014, Glasgow, Scotland
6.75 … Fitzroy Ledgister [St. Peter’s Prep], March 11, 2022, New York
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 