One day after winning the 400-meter hurdles at the U.S. Under-20 Championships at Hayward Field, Natalie Dumas won the flat 400 at Hayward Field Nationals, a high school national meet being run currently with Under-20 Nationals.
Dumas has now won eight national titles [see full list below], tied with four-time Olympic gold medalist Sydney McLaughlin for most in state history.
On Thursday, Dumas ran 52.20 in the 400 trials in the Under-20 Championships and she followed that with a 52.54 in the final. She ran 52.21 on Saturday, beating the field in Eugene by eight nmeters. Sophia Castaneda, from Newberg, Ore., who has run 52.17, was 2nd in 53.25.
With her win on Saturday, Dumas will represent the U.S. in the 40-meter hurdles at the World Under-20 Championships on the same track in Eugene, Ore., in August. The 52.20 and 52.21 races could help her get into the relay pool for the U.S. 4-by-4 team at Worlds.
Natalie Dumas National Titles
2026 USATF Under-20 Championships: 400-meter hurdles: [56.13]
2026 Hayward Field Nationals: 400-meter dash [52.21]
2026 Virginia Beach Indoor Nationals: 400-meter dash [56.13]
2006 Armory Nationals: 800-meter run [2:05.30]
2025 West Philly Nationals: 400-meter dash [51.14]
2025 West Philly Nationals: 800-meter run [2:00.11]
2025 West Philly Nationals: 400-meter hurdles [55.99]
2024 West Philly Nationals: 400-meter hurdles [58.32]
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 