Natalie Dumas ran the fastest 400 by a South Jersey girl in 22 years and just missed the South Jersey record Wednesday night at the Ott Center in West Philly.
Dumas, an Eastern junior, ran 54.45 unpressed, the fastest indoor time by a South Jersey girl since Willingboro’s Okechi Ogbuokiri ran 54.24 to win the 400 at the 2003 National Scholastic Championships at the Armory.
Her time is 6th-fastest in state history.
Dumas broke the Camden County record of 55.16 set by Winslow Township’s Krystal Cantey at the 2006 Hispanic Games at the Armory.
Dumas, who also PR’d with a 24.41 in the 200, won the Meet of Champions last spring at Pennsauken with a 53.16, 7th-fastest in state history and 2nd-fastest in South Jersey history as part of a MoC triple. She went on to win the intermediates at West Philly Nationals at Franklin Field, across the Northeast Corridor railroad tracks from the Ott Center.
Dumas has also run 2:11.42 this winter, so she has crazy range from 200 to 800 meters but also ran as fast as 18:49.86 for 5K from Group 4 cross country sectionals at DREAM Park in Logan Township in November.
Dumas’s 54.45 is No. 3 nationally, behind Bayleigh Minor of Ford Bend Christian Academy in Sugar Land, Texas, who ran 53.61 at the Carl Lewis Invite last week in Houston, and Elise Cooper of McDonough School in Owings Mills, Md., who ran 54.01 at the Armory earlier this month.
Also under 60 seconds were Paul VI junior Claire Magee [58.89], Hammonton sophomore Corinne Egan [PR 59.00], Clayton senior Leila Ortiz [59.13], Pemberton junior Olivia Serrano [59.21], Timber Creek sophomore Taylor Gaines [59.28] and Absegami senior Jaidah Garrett [59.74]. Egan, Serrano and Garrett raced in the 4th section, with Dumas, Magee, Ortiz and Gaines in the 5th.
All-Time New Jersey Indoor 400 List
51.61 … Sydney McLaughlin [Union Catholic], 2017
52.55 … Athing Mu [Trenton], 2018
53.49 … Olivia Baker [Columbia], 2014
53.73 … Julia Jackson [Scotch Plains-Fanwood], 2022
54.24 … Okechi Ogbuokiri [Willingboro], 2003
54.45 … Natalie Dumas [Eastern], 2025
54.64 … Mikele Barber [Montclair], 1998
54.70 … Janine Davis [Queen of Peace], 2003
54.91 … Nijgia Snapp [Oakcrest], 2008
54.98 … Tawana Watkins [Paterson Kennedy], 2002
55.16 … Krystal Cantey [Winslow Twp.], 2006
55.19 … Michelle Brown [Seneca], 2010
55.19 … Brooke’lyn Drakeford [Piscataway], 2023
55.21 … Aliyah Taylor [Rancocas Valley], 2017
55.32 … Amber Allen [Passaic Vo Tech], 2009
55.34 … Symone O’Connor [Franklin Twp.], 2006
55.36 … Taylor Aska [Union Catholic], 2024
55.42 … Jennifer Edobi [Union], 2014
55.49 … Kristen Mahon [Notre Dame], 2006
55.49 … Victoria Vanriele [Governor Livingston], 2019
55.51 … Sianni Wynn [Pennsauken], 2024
55.53 … Rhia Randolph [Union Catholic], 2024
55.4h … English Gardner [Eastern], 2008
55.59 … Tiffany Grant [Ocean Twp.], 2006
55.65 … Gina Certo [Academy of Holy Angels], 2024
55.6h … Denise Mitchell [Edgewood], 1984
55.6h … Emily Carrollo [Pope John], 2008
55.75 … Emilie Cowan [Columbia], 2014
55.79 … Kaira Brown [Kent Place], 2019
55.83 … Kiara Lester [Deptford], 2016
55.91 … Ajee Wilson [Neptune], 2011
55.94 … Sam Anderson [Matawan], 2014
55.95 … Natalie Englese [Cranford], 2010
All-Time South Jersey Indoor 400-Meter Dash List
54.24 … Okechi Ogbuokiri [Willingboro], 2003
54.45 … Natalie Dumas [Eastern], 2025
54.91 … Nijgia Snapp [Oakcrest], 2008
55.16 … Krystal Cantey [Winslow Twp.], 2006
55.19 … Michelle Brown [Seneca], 2008
55.21 … Aliyah Taylor [Rancocas Valley], 2017
55.51 … Sianni Wynn [Pennsauken], 2023
55.4h … English Gardner [Eastern], 2008
55.6h … Denise Mitchell [Edgewood], 1984
55.83 … Kiara Lester [Deptford], 2016
56.19 … Nylah Perry [Winslow], 2020
56.21 … Dana Burnett [Williamstown], 1997
56.34 … Katrina Sye [Buena], 1997
56.44 … Avionne Sloan [Camden], 2006
56.44 … Dahlia Beasley [Washington Twp.], 2024
56.56 … Ryan Jennings [Timber Creek], 2025
56.59 … Jasmine Jackson [Winslow Twp.], 2025
56.62 … Ste’yce McNeil [Winslow Twp.], 2012
56.65 … Britney Kott [Millville], 2009
56.72 … Natalie Dumas [Eastern], 2024
56.76 … Simone Thomas [Willingboro], 2003
56.78 … Ajae Alvarez-Tyler [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2018
56.85 … Emily Duffey [Lenape], 2012
56.85 … Nylah Perry [Winslow], 2020
56.88 … Marcene Jack [Mainland Reg.], 2004
56.90 … Nadia Davy [Bridgeton], 1999
56.98 … Jade Pope [Pennsauken], 2020
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 