Clayton senior Alex Osayemi ran the 6th-fastest 400-meter hurdles time in Gloucester County and smashed the state Group 1 meet record Friday at Somerset.
Osayemi won the intermediates in 52.79, breaking the meet record of 53.17 set by legendary Fred Sharpe as part of his historic quad win at the 1997 meet at South Plainfield.
His time is fastest by any New Jersey Group 1 runner in 12 years, since Hopatcong’s Dylan Capwell ran 52.43 at the 2013 Meet of Champions, also at South Plainfield.
Osayemi is only the 2nd Clayton boy to ever win an individual state title on the track. In 2019, Thomas Hampton won the Group 1 100 and 200.
The only faster times in the six state meets were turned in by Toms River North teammates Camryn Thomas and Mamadi Diawara in the state Group 4 meet, also at Somerest. Thomas ran 52.08 and Diawara 52.34. So Osayemi will be the No. 3 seed at the Meet of Champions Wednesday at Pennsauken.
The only faster Group 1 time in South Jersey history is Sharpe’s 51.62 at the 1997 Meet of Champions in South Plainfield.
Osayemi is already the fastest Group 1 runner in New Jersey in the 200 [21.67w] and 400 [46.60], which he’ll contest on Saturday.
50.37 … Dwight Ruff [Camden], 2001
50.96 … Bryce Huff [Pennsauken], 2023
51.39 … Rueben McCoy [Winslow Twp.], 2004
51.5h … Martin Booker [Camden], 1981
51.62 … Fred Sharpe [Paulsboro], 1997
51.82 … Azim Smith [Millville], 2001
52.10 … Tim Carey [Washington Twp.], 2009
52.0h … Vince Rawlins [Eastern], 1992
52.4h … Diandre Chandler [Camden], 1986
52.4h … Donovan Darius [Wilson], 1993
52.54 … Marcus Lee [Vineland], 2004
52.56 … Royce Reed [Bridgeton], 1995
52.62 … Devon Matthews [Pleasantville], 1999
52.62 … Harran Williams [Delran], 1999
52.62 … Ian Moore [Lenape], 2001
52.65 … Lathan Brown [Deptford], 2023
52.66 … Justin Dupree [Camden], 1996
52.66 … Aaron Younger [Delsea], 2007
52.68 … Premier Wynn [Pennsauken], 2023
52.71 … Mike Brown [Lenape], 1996
52.71 … Mike Morrison [Willingboro], 2003
52.72 … Devon Carter [Washington Twp.], 2000
52.79 … Alexander Osayemi [Clayton], 2025
52.87 … Demetrius Rooks [Absegami], 2008
52.89 … Barry Bethea [Eastern Reg.], 2010
52.92 … Alex Reber [Eastern Reg.], 2012
52.8h … Jack Thompson [Edgewood], 2001
52.89 … Devon Patton [Willingboro], 1990
52.94 … Maurice Young [Camden], 2002
52.96 … Tyler Davidson [Willingboro], 2016
51.62 … Fred Sharpe [Paulsboro], 1997
52.10 … Tim Carey [Washington Twp.], 2009
52.65 … Lathan Brown [Deptford], 2023
52.66 … Aaron Younger [Delsea], 2007
52.72 … Devon Carter [Washington Twp.], 2000
52.79 … Alexander Osayemi [Clayton], 2025
52.79 … Alexander Osayemi [Clayton], 2025
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 