Pleasantville’s Gabriel Moronta raced into the NCAA Championships 400-meter dash semifinals with a big PR, the 2nd-fastest time in the NCAA East Prelims and the 4th-fastest time ever recorded by a New Jersey high school alum.
Moronta ran 45.01 and won the 2nd of three semifinals at Hodges Stadium at North Florida University in Jacksonville, advancing automatically to the NCAS semis at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., next month.
Alabama’s Samuel Ogazi, 2nd at NCAAs last year in Eugene, led all qualifiers in Jacksonville with a lifetime-best 44.43, and Moronta placed 2nd. The fastest time in the West Prelims was 45.32, so Moronta goes into Eugene as the 2nd-fastest in the field.
The top 12 from each of the two regions – East in Jacksonville, West in College Station – advance to the NCAA semis. The top three in each heat and the next three-fastest form that top 12.
Moronta lowered his PR and school record from 45.31, which he ran last month in Gainesville. The only New Jersey quarter-milers to run faster are Olympic gold medalists Andrew Valmon of Manchester Township [44.28 in 1993] and Lamont Smith of Willingboro [44.30 in Atlanta in 1996] and Najee Glass of St. Peter’s Prep [44.79 in Gainesville in 2015].
His time is 15th-fastest among U.S. men this year and No. 35 in the world.
The NCAA semis are scheduled for 5:41 p.m. Wednesday, June 11, at Hayward Field, with the finals following at 6:02 p.m. June 13.
44.28 … Andrew Valmon [Manchester Twp.], June 19, 1993, Eugene
44.30 … Lamont Smith [Willingboro], June 19, 1996, Atlanta
44.79 … Najee Glass [St. Peter’s Prep], April 24, 2015, Gainesville, Fla.
45.01 … Gabriel Moronta [Pleasantville], May 30, 2025, Jacksonville, Fla.
45.01 … Kevin Lyles [Franklin Twp.], April 7, 1995, Knoxville, Tenn.
45.25 … Clayton Parros [Seton Hall Prep], June 26, 2015, Eugene, Ore.
45.26 … Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], April 12, 1986, Tampa, Fla.
45.30 … Willie McLaughlin [East Orange], June 18, 1983, Indianapolis
45.40 … Erison Hurtault [Matawan], June 9, 2007, Sacramento, Calif.
45.49 … Darrell Bush [Woodbury], April 11, 2015, Tucson, Ariz.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 