Shamali Whittle of Hamilton North put the state 200-meter dash record in his cross hairs on Saturday, and he nearly hit the bullseye.
The University of Georgia-bound Whittle, competing against college sprinters, came within an eyelash of becoming NJ's fastest ever in the one-lap race when he threw down a 21.05 to finish first at the Rutgers Invitational at the Armory's New Balance Track and Field Center in New York.
Whittle's 21.05 places him No. 2 in state indoor history behind the 20.90 that Mario Heslop of Franklin ran in 2017 to win the New Balance National Championship, and is also No. 2 in the nation this season behind the 20.79 run by Nyckoles Harbor of Archbishop Carroll in Washington D.C. at the Texas Tech Under Armour High School Classic.
Whittle, who won the 100 and 200 at the Meet of Champions last spring, owns a wind-legal outdoor PR of 20.75 in the 200, which he ran in the prelims at the Outdoor Nationals last June.