Natalie Dumas ran away with her 2nd Meet of Champions title of the game and 7th of her track career Wednesday, running the 3rd-fastest 400 time in meet history at Pennsauken.
Dumas, who won the 400-meter hurdles earlier and will race the 800 later, won the 400 in 52.14, her second season-best time of the day. It was her fastest 400 since she set the state record of 51.14 at West Philly Nationals last June, the 6th-fastest time in U.S. scholastic history.
Dumas won the 400 Wednesday by 15 meters over sophomore Savanah Clark of Montclair Kimberly Academy.
With the 800 still to come, Dumas has now seven Meet of Champions individual titles, 2nd-most in Meet of Champions history. North Hunterdon distance ace Jodie Bilotta won eight from 1986 through 1988.
Dumas is now the first girl ever from South Jersey to win two events three year in a row at a Meet of Champions.
Kingsway sophomore Noemi Haller ran a PR 55.03 and placed 5th and Burlington Township senior Laila Fairweather ran 55.86 for 9th.
Dumas is the third girl to win three straight Meet of Champions 400 titles. Seneca’s Michelle Brown won three in a row from 2008 through 2010 and Olivia Baker won four straight from 2011 through 2014.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 