Clayton graduate and Alabama rising sophomore Alexander Osayemi ran a 400 PR and placed 4th at U.S. Under-20 Nationals Friday night at Hayward Field in Eugene.
Osayemi dropped his PR from 45.59, which he ran in the SEC prelims last month in Auburn, Ala., to 45.46 and with a top-four place qualified for consideration for 4-by-4 duty on the U.S. National team that will compete at the World Under-20 Championships back at Hayward Field in August.
Osayemi’s 45.46 moved him up from 5th to 4th on the all-time South Jersey alumni list. He trails only Olympic gold medalists Lamont Smith [44.30] and Dennis Mitchell [45.26] as well as Gabriel Moronta [45.01], who just won the Dominican national title over 400 meters.
With his 45.46, Osayemi passed Darrell Bush of Woodbury, who ran 45.49 in Tucson in 2015, and became the fastest quarter-miler ever from Gloucester County.
44.30 … Lamont Smith [Willingboro], June 19, 1996, Atlanta
45.26 … Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], April 12, 1986, Tampa, Fla.
45.01 … Gabriel Moronta [Pleasantville], May 30, 2025, Jacksonville
45.46 … Alexander Osayemi [Clayton], June 19, 2026, Eugene
45.49 … Darrell Bush [Woodbury], April 11, 2015, Tucson, Ariz.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 