Pleasantville’s Gabriel Moronta ran another big sub-45-second 400 Saturday at the Edmonton Athletics Invitational at Foote Field in Edmonton, Alberta.
Moronta, the Dominican Republic national champion, placed 4th in an international field in 44.73, just off his PR of 44.67, which he ran to win the Pan American Championships in Medellin, Columbia, last month.
Moronta, 23, is 3rd-fastest ever from New Jersey behind Manchester Township’s Andrew Valmon [44.30 in Eugene in 1993] and Willingboro’s Lamont Smith [44.30 in Atlanta in 1996].
He’s ranked No. 1 among Dominican quarter-milers this year and 3rd all-time. He’s 33rd-fastest in the world this year and presumably headed for the World Championships in Eugene next month, although the Dominican Republic team selection is a closely guarded secret so really I have no idea what the process is. Good luck trying to find it!
Moronta only had a 49.68 PR at Pleasantville from the 2019 state Group 2 meet in Bayville. He ran 56.33 for the 400 hurdles and 1:54.74 in the 800.
After starting his college career at Mississippi State, where he ran 51.38 in the intermediates and 1:49.33 in the 800, he finished at Central Florida, where he focused on the 400.
He placed 2nd in the 400 at 2025 NCAAs in Eugene in 45.47 but was DQ’d for running outside his lane. He bounced back by running a 44.23 anchor leg on the Knights’ championship 4-by-400 team, passing Texas A&M on the final straight.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 