Alabama freshman Alexander Osayemi from Clayton ran the 5th-fastest 400 ever by a South Jersey runner Friday at the Crimson Tide Invitational at Sam Bailey Stadium in Tuscaloosa.
Osayemi lowered his PR from 46.08 from last year’s Meet of Champions at Pennsauken to 45.85. He placed 2ndto post-graduate Corde Long, a three-time 400 hurdles All-America at Alabama.
Osayemi’s time is 5th-fastest this year among NCAA Division 1 freshmen and No. 19 overall in Division 1. It’s No. 41 among U.S. men.
Osayemi’s birthday is now listed on his World Athletics profile as June 16, 2007, which means he doesn’t turn 20 this year. That means he’s eligible for the U.S. Under-20 team. And his 45.85 currently ranks 6th among U.S. men in the Under-20 division and 14th in the world.
Osayemi ran a PR 51.09 in the 400 hurdles earlier this month in Baton Rouge, fastest by an Alabama freshman as far back as available recoreds go, which is 2010.
His 45.85 makes Osayemi 5th-fastest South Jersey quarter-miler, behind Olympic gold medalists Lamont Smith [44.30] and Dennis Mitchell [45.26] as well as 2025 South Florida graduate Gabriel Moronta of Pleasantville [45.01 in May] and Woodbury’s Darrell Bush [45.49 in Tucson in 2015].
On the all-time New Jersey Under-20 list, Osayemi now trails only Najee Glass [45.71 in Gainesville in 2013].
The previous fastest 400 by a South Jersey runner in the Under-20 age group was Mitchell’s 45.99 in Tallahassee on April 20, 1985.
Here’s my best effort at an all-time New Jersey Under-20 400-meter dash list:
45.71 … Najee Glass [St. Peter’s Prep], Gainesville, Fla., April 5, 2013
45.85 … Alexander Osayemi [Clayton], Tuscaloosa, April 10, 2026
45.95 … Charles Cox [Monmouth Reg.], Atlanta, April 19, 2008
45.99 … Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], Tallahassee, April 20, 1985
46.21 … Kevin Lyles [Franklin], Dedham, Mass., May 24, 1992
46.23 … Xavier Donaldson [], Eugene, June 13, 2024
46.28 … Zyaire Clemes [Trenton], Greensboro, June 16, 2013
46.34 … Lamont Smith [Willingboro], Blaine, Minn., June 23, 1991
46.42 … Taylor McLaughlin [Union Catholic], Geneva, Ohio, Feb. 27, 2016
46.45 … Willie McLaughlin [East Orange], Princeton, May 23, 1982
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 