From left to right: Al-Tariq Dunson, Ibrahim Fobay, Cory Poole and Akeem Lindo pose at the New Balance Nationals after breaking the national record in the shuttle hurdles.
EAST ORANGE, NJ (updated Monday March 13, 5:10 p.m.) – The East Orange Campus High School boys’ shuttle hurdles relay team broke the national record at the New Balance Indoor Track and Field Nationals at The New York City Armory Center on Saturday, March 11.
The next day at the Nationals, the EOCHS boys’ 4×400-meter relay team took first place in a time of 3:16.09.
In the shuttle hurdles on Saturday, junior Akeem Lindo, senior Cory Poole, junior Al-Tariq Dunson and junior Ibrahim Fobay combined to run a time of 28.62, edging Western Branch of Virginia by .02. The old record of 29.29 was held by Union Catholic in 2013 when it won the national title.
Poole also broke the 60-meter hurdles record with a time of 7.63 in the preliminaries while also breaking his own state record in the 55-meter hurdles the process in 7.08 on Saturday. He finished behind Trey Cunningham of Winfield, Ala., who clocked 7.45. Lindo also ran in the preliminaries and took 13th in 7.94 to advance to the semifinals.
On Sunday in the semifinals, Poole unfortunately was called for a false start. Lindo also was in the 60-meter hurdles race semifinals and finished 10th in 7.96 out of 24 runners, including Poole. Lindo missed qualifying for the final by .02 seconds. The top six advanced to the final.
Poole and Lindo joined sophomore Kishaun Richardson and junior Immyouri Etienne in winning the 4×400 relay.
The Jaguars, under head coach Lance Wigfall, enjoyed a great indoor season as they won four major team titles: the Super Essex Conference-American Division Championships, Essex County Championships, NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2, Group 4 state Championships and NJSIAA Group 4 state Championships.
At the NJSIAA state Meet of Champions at the Bennett Center in Toms River, Poole won the 55-meter hurdles, and the 4×400 relay team of Poole, Akeem Lindo, senior Willesley Lindo, who is Akeem’s brother; and Etienne was victorious in a meet record time of 3:18.26.
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