From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

It’s been a historic few weeks for Eastern junior Natalie Dumas, who in the span of 19 days ran all-time top-25 U.S. times in three events.

With a week and a half until the start of Franklin Field Nationals, it’s a good time to look back at this unprecedented stretch for Dumas and where she now ranks in U.S. history.

Dumas ran 51.87 in the 400 at South Jersey Group 4 sectionals at Pennsauken on May 17, 57.30 in the intermediates at the state Group 4 meet in Somerset on May 30 and 2:02.75 at the Meet of Champions this past Wednesday, also at Pennsauken.

Needless to say, Dumas is the only girl in U.S. track and field history to run that fast in all three events. But there’s more.

Working off a bunch of different sources, including my dusty stack of old Jack Sheppard U.S. High School annuals, Track and Field News’ web site, some old all-time U.S. performance lists that are only accessible using the WayBack Machine and the MileSplit database, we put together all-time U.S. lists in all three of Dumas’s events.

The verdict? She’s now No. 18 in the 800, No. 19 in the 400 and No. 21 in the 400-meter hurdles. She’s just 5-100ths of a second in the 400 hurdles away from being all-time top-20 in all three.

The only other girl in U.S. history to run sub-52 and sub-2:03 is Trenton’s Olympic gold medalist Athing Mu [51.98, 2:01.17]. The only other girl to run sub-52 and sub-57.5 is another New Jersey Olympian, four-time gold medalist Sydney McLaughlin [51.87, 53.32]. No other girl has run as fast as Dumas in the intermediates and 800.

So only three girls are in the top-25 all-time in two of three events – the 400, 800 and intermediates – and all three are from New Jersey. Two are Olympic gold medalists and one is a junior at Eastern.

With a national meet still to come (and possibly more) and a full senior season, Dumas is tied for No. 1 in New Jersey in the 400, No. 3 in the 400 hurdles and No. 4 in the 800 (she was No. 3 until Saturday).

All-Time U.S. 400-Meter Run List
50.69 … Sanya Richards [St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.], 2002
50.74 … Monique Henderson [Morse, San Diego], 2000
50.87 … Denean Howard [Granada Hills, Calif.], 1982
50.90 … Sheila Ingram [Washington, D.C.], 1976
51.04 … Kadecia Baird [Medgar Evers Prep, Brooklyn], 2012
51.17 … Lauren Lewis [Prosper (Texas)], 2023
51.17 … Kayla Davis [William A. Hough, Cornelius, N.C.], 2019
51.21 … Alexis Holmes [Cheshire (Ct.) Academy], 2018
51.39 … Lynna Irby [Pike, Indianapolis], 2016
51.44 … Tyra Cox [Northwestern, Miami], 2025
51.57 … Skyler Franklin [Monteverde (Fla.) Academy], 2024
51.57 … Jan’taijah Ford [Northeast, Oakland Park, Fla.], 2019
51.63 … Jessica Beard [Euclid, Ohio], 2007
51.09 … Sherri Howard [San Bernadino], 1979
51.45 … Ericka Harris [Gig Harbor, Wash.], 1981
51.63 … Jessica Beard [Euclid, Ohio], 2007
51.75 … Diane Dixon [Brooklyn], 1982
51.77 … Jameesia Ford [Jack Britt, Fayetteville, N.C.], 2023
51.87 … Sydney McLaughlin [Union Catholic, Scotch Plains], 2016
51.87 … Natalie Dumas [Eastern, Voorhees, N.J.], 2025
51.91 … Mabie Ferguson [Pomona, Calif.], 1972
51.92 … Arria Minor [East, Denver], 2018
51.94 … Jennie Gorham [Kansas City], 1979
51.96 … Brandi Cross [Fort Bend, Texas], 2006
51.98 … Athing Mu [Trenton, N.J.], 2020
51.99 … Shae Anderson [Norco (Calilf.)], 2017

All-Time U.S. 800-Meter Run List
1:59.04 … Juliette Whitaker [Mount de Sales Academy, Catonsville, Md.], 2022
1:59.51 … Mary Cain [Bronxville, N.Y.], 2013
2:00.03 … Roisin Willis [Stevens Point, Wisc.], 2022
2:00.07 … Kim Gallagher [Upper Dublin, Pa.], 1982
2:00.53 … Emmry Ross [Onsted, Mich.], 2025
2:00.65 … Sammy Watson [Rush, Henrietta, N.Y.], 2017
2:00.65 … Sophia Gorriaran [Moses Brown, Providence, R.I.], 2022
2:00.85 … Caitlin Collier [Bolles, Jacksonville, Fla.], 2018
2:00.91 … Ajee Wilson [Neptune], 2012
2:01.17 … Athing Mu [Trenton], 2019
2:01.50 … Paige Sheppard [Union Catholic], 2025
2:01.61 … Chanelle Price [Easton (Pa.) Area], 2008
2:02.04 … Amy Weissenbach [Harvard Westlake, Studio City, Calif.], 2011
2:02.05 … Jeannine Davis [Pleasant Hill, Ore.], 1998
2:02.28 … Makenna Herbst [Carlsbad, Calif.], 2025
2:02.29 … Mary Decker [Portola, Calif.], 1974
2:02.40 … Robin Campbell [Eastern, Washington, D.C.], 1974
2:02.75 … Natalie Dumas [Eastern], 2025
2:02.90 … Kathy Weston [Reno, Nev.], 1975
2:02.96 … Aaliyah Miller [Boyd, McKinney, Texas], 2016

All-Time U.S. 400-Meter Hurdles List
53.32 … Sydney McLaughlin [Union Catholic], 2017
55.20 … Leslie Maxie [Mills, Millbrae, Calif.], 1984
55.20 … Anna Cockrell [Providence Day School, Charlotte, N.C.], 2016
55.76 … Lashinda Demus [Long Beach (Calif.) Wilson], 2001
55.96 … Ebony Collins [Long Beach (Calif.) Wilson], 2005
56.00 … Lauren Hoffman [Battlefield, Haymarket, Va.],. 2023
56.16 … Brandee Johnson [Nansemond River, Suffolk, Va.], 2016
56.16 … Akala Garrett [Harding, Charlotte, N.C.], 2022
56.36 … Britton Wilson [Mills Godwin, Henrico, Va..], 2019
56.66 … Michelle Smith [Monteverde (Fla.) Academy], 2023
56.80 … Kellie Roberts [Central, Seat Pleasant, Md.], 1986
56.82 … Sheena Johnson [Woodbridge, Va.], 2000
56.83 … Krystal Cantey [Winslow Twp.], 2005
56.85 … Michelle Smith [Monteverde (Fla.) Academy], 2024
57.09 … Dalilah Muhammad [Cardozo, Queens, N.Y.], 2007
57.20 … Ryann Krais [Methacton, Eagleville, Pa.], 2007
57.21 … Jackie Coward [Knoxville (Tenn.) West], 2007
57.21 … Jade Miller [Great Oak, Temecula, Calif.], 2013
57.24 … Braelyn Baker [Bear Creek, Woodinville, Wash.], 2024
57.25 … Nicole Leach [West Catholic, Philadelphia], 2005
57.30 … Natalie Dumas [Eastern], 2025 [#19]
57.31 … Jasmine Robinson [North Cobb, Kennesaw, Ga.], 2024

Natalie Dumas Progression
100
Freshman: DNR
Sophomore: DNR
Junior: 12.23

200
Freshman: 25.60
Sophomore: 25.29
Junior: 24.02

400
Freshman: 56.53
Sophomore: 53.16
Junior: 51.87

800
Freshman: 2:27.28
Sophomore: 2:14.30
Junior: 2:02.75

1,600
Freshman: DNR
Sophomore: DNR
Junior: 4:55.66

400H
Freshman: 1:02.49
Sophomore: 58.32
Junior: 57.30