From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Gabriel Moronta became the 4^th New Jersey quarter-miler to dip under 45 seconds when he won the 400 at the Pan American Championships.

The 23-year-old Moronta, a 2020 Pleasantville graduate now competing for the Dominican Republic, ran 44.67 at Alfonso Galvis Duque Stadium in Medellin, Columbia, breaking his PR of 45.01.

He won by three meters over Javier Gomez of Venezuela, who was 2^nd in 44.96.

Moronta’s time is No. 32 in the world this year and 3^rd-fastest in Dominican Republic history, behind only Luguelin Santos, who ran 44.11 in Beijing in 2015, and Lidio Andres Feliz, who ran 44.64 in La Nucia, Spain, in 2022.

The only New Jersey 400 runners who’ve gone faster than Moronta are Olympic gold medalists Andrew Valmon of Manchester Township [44.28 in Eugene in 1993] and Lamont Smith of Willingboro [44.30 in Atlanta in 1996].

With Clayton’s Alexander Osayemi running 45.46 in Eugene last month at U.S. Under-20 Championships, the No. 2 and 4 times ever run by South Jersey quarter-milers have come in the past few weeks.

Here’s a look at the top 10 times ever run by New Jersey natives:

44.28 … Andrew Valmon [Manchester Twp.], June 19, 1993, Eugene
44.30 … Lamont Smith [Willingboro], June 19, 1996, Atlanta
44.67 … Gabriel Moronta [Pleasantville], June 20, 2026, Medellin, Columbia
44.79 … Najee Glass [St. Peter’s Prep], April 24, 2015, Gainesville, Fla.
45.01 … Kevin Lyles [Franklin Twp.], April 7, 1995, Knoxville, Tenn.
45.25 … Clayton Parros [Seton Hall Prep], June 26, 2015, Eugene, Ore.
45.26 … Dennis Mitchell [Edgewood], April 12, 1986, Tampa, Fla.
45.30 … Willie McLaughlin [East Orange], June 18, 1983, Indianapolis
45.40 … Erison Hurtault [Matawan], June 9, 2007, Sacramento, Calif.
45.46 … Alexander Osayemi [Clayton], June 19, 2026, Eugene, Ore.