.png)
Ajani Dwyer of Washington Township became the fastest sprinter in New Jersey high school indoor history when he crushed the state record in the 55-meter dash with a blazing time of 6.18 to finish first at the Millrose Games Trials on Wednesday night at the New York Armory.
The Penn State-bound Dwyer, who is running indoors for the first time ever this season, blasted his way into the state record book by smashing the previous NJ record of 6.26 that was set by NFL wide receiver Damiere Byrd of Timber Creek en route to winning the 60m dash at the 2011 New Balance National Championships. Byrd's record was equaled by the late Mario Heslop of Franklin when he finished first at the 2018 Eastern States Championships.
Dwyer, who nearly broke the state record in the trials when he ran 6.27, came into the meet tied for US No. 1 with the 6.33 he ran in his indoor debut last month at Ocean Breeze. Now he's not only US No. 1 for the season, but he's climbed all the way up into a tie for No. 10 on the all-time U.S. high school FAT list! The national FAT record is 6.08, set in 2012 by 2016 U.S. Olympian and former NFL wide receiver Marvin Bracy of Boone High School in Orlando, Florida at the Jimmy Carnes Indoor Youth Meet in Gainesville, Florida.
The historic victory by Dwyer automatically qualified him for the 116th Millrose Games Trials, which are scheduled for February 11 at the New York Armory.