It finally happened.
For the first time ever, NJ all-time greats and mutiple national champions Paige Sheppard and Natalie Dumas clashed on the track, and the two legends produced a thrilling 800-meter battle over two laps on Friday night at the Track Night NYC at Icahn Stadium on Randall's Island in New York.
In a race that featured three national 800 champions, Sheppard, a junior at Union Catholic, used a lethal kick to come from behind to win the eagerly awaited clash, stopping the clock at ran 2:02.37, the fastest time in the nation this season. Dumas, a senior at Eastern, was third in 2:04.00. Jane Hickey of the Ursuline School New York got between the NJ duo, placing second in 2:03.68. Reagan Moore of Oak Knoll was fourth in 2:05.47.
Abbey Robisky of Union Catholic was 8th in 2:06.41, which is a new state freshman record and the 9th fastest time ever run by a freshmen in U.S. outdoor history!!! The former NJ freshman record of 2:07.11 was set by Sheppard two years ago.
Dumas, who is headed to Arkansas, grabbed the lead after a a very quick 59.30 first 400 with Hickey second (59.40) and Sheppard was third (59.55). Dumas and Hickey opened a 15-meter gap on Sheppard with about 200 to go, but then Sheppard cranked it up and blasted to the lead as she hit the top of the homestretch and then pulled away for the win. Sheppard closed the fastest with a 1:02.83 last lap.
The race was a showdown between three of the best 800m runners in NJ history.
Sheppard, who has won two national titles in her career (the mile last June at the New Balance National Championships and the 800 at the NB Indoor Nationals in March) ran a NJ No. 4 all-time 2:01.50 at the Brooks PR Invitational last June.
Dumas, who has won 3 national titles (the 400m hurdles, the 400m, and the 800m, all at the NB Nationals last June), ran a NJ state outdoor record of 2:00.11 when she won the 800m at the New Balance National Championships last June.
Moore, a junior, won the 800 at the 2025 Nike Indoor Nationals, and owns a PR of 2:04.80.
