Gabriel Moronta, a Pleasantville graduate competing for the Dominican Republic, won the 600 at Ocean Breeze Elite Sunday with the 7th-fastest time in the world this year and a Dominican Republic national record.
Moronta, who ran collegiately at Mississippi State and more recently Central Florida, ran three laps in 1:15.66, finishing ahead of a field of pros and post-collegiates. He was competing under the AllStarz Mgmt banner.
Moronta’s time is 40th-fastest in world history.
Alex Amankwah, an All-America at Alabama and 2016 Olympian for Ghana at 800 meters, was 2nd in 1:16.14.
He broke the Dominican national record of 1:16.01 set on Feb. 21, 2015, by 2012 Olympic 400-meter dash silver medalist in Montreal.
Moronta fell 44-100ths of a second off the Central America record of 1:15.12 set by Jonathan Jones of Barbados and the University of Texas in Albuquerque in 2022.
Moronta changed his nationality from U.S. to Dominican Republic after anchoring Central Florida’s 4-by-400 team to the NCAA championship in June.
This was Moronta’s first 600 in four years. His previous PR was a 1:18.40 at the UAB Invitational in Birmingham in 2022.
The previous fastest 600 by a New Jersey runner was 1:16.22 by Penns Grove’s Jaymes Dennison from Iowa State in Albuquerque in March 2015.
This was Moronta’s first race since a 400 at the NACAC Championships in Freeport, the Bahamas, in August.
Moronta ran his 400 PR of 45.01 in Jacksonville this past May. The only South Jersey runner to go faster is Olympic gold medalist Lamont Smith of Willingboro, who ran 44.30 at the 1996 U.S. Olympic Trials in Atlanta.
Here’s a look at the fastest 600 runners New Jersey has produced:
1:15.66 … Gabriel Moronta [Pleasantville], Staten Island, N.Y., Feb. 21, 2026
1:16.22 … Jaymes Dennison [Penns Grove], Albuquerque, March 7, 2015
1:16.59 … Jaden Marchand [Leonia], State College, Pa., Jan. 17, 2026
1:16.98 … Blaik Slavinski [Point Pleasant Borough], Clemson, S.C., Jan. 11, 2025
1:17.83 … Ryan Matulonis [Seton Hall Prep], Philadelphia, Dec. 7, 2024
1:18.24 … Bryce Tucker [Pennsauken], Chicago, Feb. 14, 2025
1:18.49 … Dallas Hohney [Glassboro], Staten Island, N.Y., Dec. 7, 2024
1:18.53 … Fred Sharpe [Paulsboro], Boston, Jan. 31, 2004
1:18.74 … Allen Eke [Union Catholic], Albuquerque, Jan. 19, 2018
1:18.78 … Greg Gomez [Franklin Twp.], State College, Pa., Jan. 19, 2008
1:18.80 … Dylan Capwell [Hopatcong], New York, Dec. 8, 2017
1:18.90 … Clayton Parros [], New York, Feb. 7, 2009
1:18.91 … Aaron Younger [Delsea], New York, Jan. 14, 2011
1:18.97 … Derrell Manhertz [Kingsway], Lincoln, Neb., Feb. 6, 2016
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 