Some of New Jersey's biggest stars rang in the New Year with quite a bang by dropping some of the greatest performances in state history this past weekend.
The electrifying Jordaine Johnson of East Orange continued to cook when he left a whole lot of smoke on the oval by throwing down the fifth fastest time in state history in the 2-lapper, ripping a 47.29 to finish first at the Hispanic Games at the NY Armory on Saturday.
Johnson's 47.29, the fastest 400 run indoors by a NJ sprinter in 10 years, is No. 2 in the U.S. this season and gives him the state lead in three sprints. He's also NJ No. 1 in the 55 with a 6.42 and the 200 in 21.09, which is the fastest time in the country this season!!
The 21.09 places the University of Florida-bound Johnson No. 4 all-time on NJ's all-time list and makes him the only athlete in NJ indoor history to run under 21.10 in the 200 and under 47.30 in the 400!!
The only runners to go faster indoors than Johnson in the 400 are Najee Glass of St. Peter's Prep, 46.06 in 2012, Taylor McLaughlin of Union Catholic, 46.80 in 2015, Zyaire Clemes of Trenton (47.13 n 2014) and Johnson's current coach, Lance Wigfall of East Orange, who ran 47.20 in 2003. Look out, Lance!! JJ is coming for you.
In the 200, the only three runners ahead of Johnson in state history are the late Mario Heslop of Franklin (20.90 in 2019), Shamali Whittle of Hamilton North-Nottingham (21.05 in 2022) and Xavier Donaldson of Seton Hall Prep (21.07 in 2023).
Video of Jessica Oji's big marks from December competition.
BIG SHOT
Jessica Oji, a senior at Livingston, climbed up the NJ and US all-time lists with another huge mark in the girls shot put, launching a massive 53-6.75 at the Hispanic Games. That moves Oji up to No. 3 in NJ history and placeS her No. 9 in U.S. history!!!
Oji's 53.9.75 reset her U.S. lead for this season, which had been the 52-1.50 she threw at the Coach Glynn Holiday Carnival at Ocean Breeze on Dec. 28. She also threw 51-8 on Dec. 14 at the Garfield Invitational.
The only two throwers in NJ indoor history who have thrown further than Oji are Alyssa Wilson of Donovan Catholic, who holds the national record of 57-7.50 that she hit at the 2017 Eastern States Championships, and Nickolette Dunbar of Whippany Park, who unloaded a 54-7.50, which is No. 4 in U.S. history, when she won the 2016 New Balance National Championship.
Oji's 53-6.75 now gives NJ three of the top nine performers in U.S. history in the girls shot put!
How awesome is that!!!
Ryan Jennings Continues Red Hot Start
Ryan Jennings of Timber Creek had a red hot double at the Freedom Games at Ocean Breeze on Saturday. The senior sprint star became the first girl to crack 7.00 in the 55m dash this season when she placed second in that race in 6.99, and she won the 300 with a NJ No. 2 time of 38.84, No. 9 all-time in NJ history.
On top of all that, Jennings, ran a NJ No. 3 all-time 23.93 last month at the Ott Center!!!!
New Triple Jump Leader Out of Winslow
At the Hispanic, Games, Ma'syiah Brawner of Winslow took over the state lead in the girls triple jump with her winning mark of 39-4, which is No. 5 in NJ indoor history, and Winslow's 4x200 crew blasted a NJ No. 1 time of 1:39.95 to finish first. Willingboro was second with a NJ No. 4 time of 1:42.32.
Toms River North Sets Venue Record
Toms River North boys unleashed a 28.88 shuttle hurdle relay time during the Ocean County Relay Championships on Thursday. The squad credited on the results included Mamadi Diawara, Jael Hester, Mordecai Ford, and Camryn Thomas.
That performance is a venue record at the 'Bubble' and amongst the quickest shuttle hurdle teams ever run by a New Jersey school, it is the top four hurdle shuttle time. The overall state record of course is the East Orange Campus squad that won at the New Balance Nationals Indoor Championships in 2017, running a still-standing national record 28.62 over five hurdles.
