Natalie Dumas became the first South Jersey woman in 40 years to win a national Under-20 championship on Friday when she out-raced a loaded field in the 400-meter hurdles at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.
Dumas ran 56.13 – just 14-100ths of a second off her PR of 55.99 from last year’s West Philly Nationals – and finished eight meters in front of 2nd-place Tatum Lynn, a Big Ten medalist this past spring as an Ohio State freshman.
Lynn went into the race as the top-ranked Under-20 intermediate hurdler in the world with her 56.57 at the NCAA East Region Prelims in Lexington, Ky., last month.
With her top-two finish along with the world Under-20 championships standard of 1:00.75, Dumas will represent the U.S. at the World Under-20 Championships back at Hayward Field Aug. 5-9.
The Under-20 Championships, first held in 1972, were known as the U.S. Junior Championships through 2017. The meet is open to athletes who are 19 or younger on New Year’s Eve.
Dumas’s time ranks 27th among all U.S. women this year and she bumps Lynn as the fastest Under-20 intermediate hurdler in the world.
Dumas is the first South Jersey woman to win a U.S. junior title since Kingsway sprinter Denise Liles won the 100 at the 1984 meet at L.A. Coliseum in 11.84.
She’s the 4th New Jersey woman to win an Under-20 title in the 400-meter hurdles, following Tracy Nelson of Plainfield in 1980 and 1981, Tawana Watkins of Paterson Kennedy in 2003 and world record holder Sydney McLaughlin in 2016.
Here’s a look at all the U.S
1972
None
1973
Randy Mimm [Willingboro], 10,000-meter walk [55:45.1]
1974
None
1975
Manny Silverio [North Bergen], Hammer Throw [180-0]
Doreen Ennis [Metuchen], 1,500-Meter Run [4:23.1
1976
Boys – None
Girls – Can’t find results yet …
1977
Vince Reilly [Metuchen], Decathlon [7,070]
Sam Summerville [Holy Spirit], 800-Meter Run [1:47.62]
Renaldo Nehemiah [Scotch Plains-Fanwood], 110-Meter Hurdles [13.89]
Helene Connell [Jackson], Discus [159-4]
1978
Chris Person [Plainfield], 400-Meter Hurdles [51.0]
Carol Lewis [Willingboro], Long Jump [20-5 ½]
1979
Carol Lewis [Willingboro], Long Jump [20-7 ¼ ]
Michelle Glover [Willingboro], 100-Meter Dash [11.6]
1980
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 100-Meter Dash [10.16]
Carl Lewis [Willingboro], 200-Meter Dash [20.66]
Carol Lewis [Willingboro], 100-Meter Hurdles [14.20]
Michelle Glover [Willingboro], 200-Meter Dash [23.93]
Joetta Clark [Columbia], 800-Meter Run [2:04.52]
Tracy Nelson [Plainfield], 400-Meter Hurdles [59.46]
1981
John Marshall [Plainfield], 800-Meter Run [1:48.65]
Tracy Nelson [Plainfield], 400-Meter Hurdles [58.56]
Carol Lewis [Willingboro], 100-Meter Hurdles [13.89]
Carol Lewis [Willingboro], Long Jump [20-11 ¾]
Michelle Glover [Willingboro], 100-Meter Dash [11.42]
Rena Antanelis [Randolph], Javelin [156-9]
*Willingboro [Kim Gallagher, Pam Young, Carol Lewis, Michelle Glover], 800 Medley Relay [1:42.91]
1982
John Marshall [Plainfield], 800-Meter Run [1:49.80]
1983
Wendy Vereen [Trenton], 100-Meter Dash [11.57]
Michelle Rowen [Washington Twp.], 1,500-Meter Run [4:20.05]
Willingboro Track Club [], 800-Meter Relay [1:44.12]
1984
Denise Liles [Kingsway], 100-Meter Dash [11.81]
1985
Andrew Valmon [Manchester Twp.], 400-Meter Dash [45.96]
Bob Amabile [Wall Township], Javelin [231-7]
Claire Connor [Rahway], 19-9 ½
*W’boro T.C. [Artrelia Turner, Lynn Pike, Andrea Conaway, Timi Crawford], 800 SMR [1:45.50]
1986
None
1987
Jasmin Jones [Hackensack], 800-Meter Run [2:09.01]
Dawn Bowles [Neptune], 100-Meter Hurdles [13.48]
1988
Jasmin Jones [Hackensack], 800-Meter Run [2:07.62]
Jasmin Jones [Hackensack], 1,500-Meter Run [4:28.16]
1989
None
1990
None
1991
None
1992
None
1993
None
1994
Dudley Dorival [Ewing], 110-Meter Hurdles [13.79]
Darius Pemberton [Hackensack], Long Jump [25-8 ¼]
1995
Hazel Clark [Columbia], 800-Meter Run [2:06.18]
1996
None
1997
Charmaine Walker [Plainfield], 100-Meter Hurdles [13.35]
1998
Todd Matthews [Notre Dame], 110-Meter Hurdles [13.75]
1999
Robert Jordan [Millville], High Jump [7-4 ¼]
2000
None
2001
Dwight Ruff [Camden], Turdles [50.37]
Bobby Smith [Hopatcong], Javelin [222-10]
2002
None
2003
Steve Slattery [Mount Olive], 3,000-Meter Steeplechase [8:23.58]
Tawana Watkins [Paterson Kennedy], 400-Meter Hurdles [58.38]
2004
Zach Pollinger [Mahwah], 10,000-Meter Walk [48:22.40]
2005
Reuben McCoy [Winslow Twp.], 400-Meter Hurdles [50.69]
Zach Pollinger [Mahwah], 10,000-Meter Walk [45:29.10]
2006
Danielle Tauro [Southern Reg.], 1,500-Meter Run [4:24.53]
2007
None
2008
Eric Plummer [St. Joe’s-Metuchen], Shot Put [62-6 ½]
2009
None
2010
Nick Vena [Morristown], Shot Put [66-1]
Ajee Wilson [Neptune], 800-Meter Run [2:05.75]
2011
None
2012
Ajee Wilson [Neptune], 800-Meter Run [2:04.86]
2013
Stephen Mozia [Hackensack], Shot Put [66-3 ¼]
2014
Keturah Orji [Mount Olive], Triple Jump [44-1 ½]
Braheme Days Jr. [Bridgeton], Shot Put [65-5 ½]
Curtis Thompson [Florence], Javelin [216-0]
2015
Curtis Thompson [Florence], Javelin [237-4]
2016
Sydney McLaughlin [Union Catholic], 400-Meter Hurdles [54.54]
Alyssa Wilson [Donovan Catholic], Shot Put [52-7 ¼]
2017
Alyssa Wilson [Donovan Catholic], Hammer Throw [185-11]
2018
Cory Poole [East Orange], 110-Meter Hurdles [13.34]
Cory Poole [East Orange], 400-Meter Hurdles [49.71]
Alyssa Wilson [Donovan Catholic], Shot Put [55-1 ½]
Alyssa Wilson [Donovan Catholic], Hammer Throw [217-7 ½]
2019
Athing Mu [Trenton], 800-Meter Run [2:05.59]
2020
Not held
2021
Not held
2022
Ryan Allen [Kingsway], 10,000-Meter Racewalk [49:53.14]
2023
Nathaniel Rayan [Scotch Plains-Fanwood], 110-Meter Hurdles [13.40]
Ryan Allen [Kingsway], 10,000-Meter Racewalk [46:17.65]
2024
None
2025
Bibe
2026
Natalie Dumas [Eastern], 400-meter hurdles [56.13]
* – Not from same high school
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 