Natalie Dumas wins 800 (2:00:11), 400 (51:15), and 400h (55:95) at NBON

Go NJ!!!!!!!

per WA her 400 and 800 are #1 in the world for U20, while the 400h is #3

Those are probably the three hardest events in Track too.

There's a photo that John Nepolitan took before the 400 final on a DyeStat insta post. Dumas is just chilling out on the sidelines with this scowl on her face, like "Watch out, I'm about to set the track on fire again and you better not get in my way" (or something like that, LOL) ... it's pretty badass.

Thanks for that link. Dumas deservedly gets all the headlines. But IMO the story of that race is Sydney Sutton. She has the most remarkable stride pattern of any female 400 hurdler I've ever seen.

This Sydney takes fewer steps than the other Sydney. That is correct. And I'm not referring to Sydney McLaughlin during her high school days. I am referring to Sydney McLaughlin Levrone right now. Sydney Sutton at age 18 goes around the track at 400 hurdles taking fewer steps.

I started out watching Dumas. Okay, that's left lead and 15 steps all the way around until 16 on 9 and 10. Very impressive.

But then I wondered how is the other girl alongside her so fresh and gaining ground toward the wire?

It didn't take long to find out. Only 20 steps to hurdle one. McLaughlin-Levrone uses 21. Then a remarkable 13 steps on hurdle two. I have never seen 13 from a female other than Lea Sprunger, while experimenting late in her career.

Sutton then switched to 14 steps and maintained that all the way through 7, before using 15 on 8 through 10. That's exactly what McLaughlin-Levrone does.

The commentator noted that Sutton stuttered approaching 8. That's because she was switching from 14 to 15. It was planned but she was cramped while doing so. I think she'll eventually use 14 on that barrier.

Huge upside. It will be interesting to see where it leads.

I think only Sprunger has used fewer steps all the way around. She tried 12 near the end of her career and I believe she took it through hurdle 5 in one or two races.

I typed that wrong. Sprunger used 13, not 12. And I think it was during a 300 hurdles race, where it's easier to sprint without falling apart.

thanks. great 400h analysis as always. IIRC rachael glenn used 13 steps at 2024 SECs, but i would have to go back and check.

Rumor has it that she will be an NEP athlete shortly…..she could do worse!

NEP?

Nike Elite Program

Nike Elite Project… Jane, Maurice, Tate, Simms, Noonan, Nauman, Macchia, Leachman, Williams, Coombs, on and on….about 40 kids

sjtrackblog.com

NATALIE DUMAS CAPS GREATEST PERFORMANCE IN U.S. TRACK HISTORY BY WINNING HER 3RD NATIONAL TITLE IN THREE DAYS, DESTROYING ANOTHER STATE RECORD AND RUNNING 5TH-FASTEST 800 IN U.S. HISTORY!!!!

sjtcaweb

Natalie Dumas completed the greatest triple in U.S. high school track history Sunday with a heart-stopping win in the 800-meter run at West Philly Nationals at Franklin Field. After winning the 400…

Open link

“the USATF won’t accept the time because this wasn’t a USATF meet.”

BTW, should Congress get involved in an investigation into the collaring of Olympic Athlete development by a particular company’s ‘cozy relationship’* with the Federation?

*Conflicts of interest

she threw up the masnic shhhhhhhh sign after the race...could be the reason for the big improvement...why do athletes do this? Cole Hocker does it too for some strange reason

I noticed the same thing. How often do you see an 800M runner passed on the home straight and then regaining the lead to win? Crazy range to be competitive in all 3 of these races

That’s just not true - NBNO is a sanctioned USATF meet, and times from there are acceptable qualifiers. Although Dumas hasn’t entered yet, NBNO 400/400H runner-up Sydney Sutton has entered with her NBNO marks.

Yes, the New Balance meet was sanctioned by both USATF and World Athletics. Not sure where that other poster got the idea that it wasn't.

In any case, Dumas said she that won't be running USAs. She said her last meet would be this weekend where she will run either a 400 or a 400H. I think it's a good decision to not prolong her season another month. That way she can take a break and then get ready for xc.

This statement from that article is incorrect - "Britton Wilson, U.S.: Wilson is the closest American to Dumas, with a 49.13 in Baton Rouge in 2023 and a speedy 53.08 400 hurdles at Hayward Field in 2022 – that’s No. 12 all-time U.S. – but with an 800 PR of 2:02.13, which she ran twice, both times indoors at the Tyson Center in Fayetteville, Ark."

The closest American to Dumas is actually Anna Hall.

400 - 50.82

400H- 54.42

800 - 2:01.23

That 800 mark came from her most recent heptathlon a few weeks ago.

Since Dumas and Hall have almost identical PR's in the 400, 400H, and 800, would Dumas ever try the heptathlon? I don't think she has ever been asked that question in an interview. It would be interesting to hear her answer.