Natalie Dumas dipped under a minute in her first 400-meter hurdles race of the year.
Racing at the Deptford Spartan Relays, the six-time national champion from Eastern won the race in 59.96, the 4th-fastest time in the country in the early goings this outdoor season.
Dumas ran 55.11 at West Philly Nationals this past June, 6th-fastest in U.S. history. This was her first intermediate hurdles race since that race.
This was a fast race all around, with Atlantic County Tech junior Brianna Growalt placing 2nd in 1:01.83 and Winslow sophomore Jasmine Jackson 3rd in 1:02.37.
In her 1st lifetime 400-meter hurdles race, Growalt ran the 8th-fastest time in Atlantic County history. Growalt was state Group 4 champion in the 100-meter hurdles and long jump last spring and in the 55-meter hurdles indoors this past winter.
Also running fast early times were Winslow sophomore Jasmine Jackson [1:02.37], Winslow junior Cinniya Robinson [1:03.90] and Kingsway junior Norah Brown [three-second PR 1:04.53].
All-Time Atlantic County Girls 400-Meter Hurdles Top-50
1:00.26 … Helena Leyrer [Buena], 2012
1:00.40 … Diamond McLaughlin [Absegami], 2021
1:00.55 … Katrina Sye [Buena], 1997
1:00.58 … Andrea Olsen [Buena], 2013
1:01.42 … Natalie Edwards [Pleasantville], 1995
1:01.44 … Nyal Jones [Timber Creek], 2024
1:01.73 … Joshonda Johnson [Absegami], 2016
1:01.83 … Brianna Growalt [Atlantic County Tech], 2026
1:02.06 … Frances Bundy [Pleasantville], 1999
1:02.94 … Anne Rutledge [Egg Harbor Twp.], 2021
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 