By Jason W. Brooks
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MESA — Mountain Ridge junior Samel Eminovic acknowledged there’s a lot to learn about an all-classes state championship track meet.

And some of it, such as adjusting for unexpected wind, an athlete almost has to experience once before they know how to adjust to it.

The wind was one element Eminovic learned about on the weekend of May 16-17. That’s when he competed in the 110 and 300 hurdles at the AIA Open State Track & Field Championships for the first time.

Eminovic placed third in the 110 hurdles final and was fifth in the 300.

“The wind was definitely pushing,” Eminovic said after the 110 final. “I messed up on a few hurdles, but was still able to come in third.”

Eminovic burst onto the scene this season. He won the 300 hurdles at the Division I meet on May 10 in a personal record of 37.65. 

He posted the best time in his division in the 110 meters in preliminaries May 8 and was disqualified in the final May 10. 

Another element Eminovic learned about was varied competition: he not only faced familiar rivals from the West Valley and/or Mountain Ridge’s division, but also top rivals like Bellemy Amina-Harris of Desert Edge, who he’d only raced against at a Chandler meet before the Open meet.

Amina-Harris easily won both races.

The 300 final featured many of the same hurdlers who made the 110 competitive. One exception was Highland Prep senior Marcel Pratt, who narrowly beat two other hurdlers and Eminovic to be the 300 runner-up.

Eminovic said he’d like to run track in college. But his first priorities include prepping for a senior year that involves returning to, and winning at, the Open championships.

“Absolutely, I’d love to do track in college,” Eminovic said. “And I want to win here next year.”

We invite our readers to submit their civil comments on this topic. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org.   Email Jason W. Brooks at jbrooks@iniusa.org.

Jason W. Brooks
News Editor | Chandler Independent

Jason W. Brooks joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in July 2021 as an associate editor. After a year covering Buckeye, he has covered Chandler since the fall of 2022, in addition to assisting the Daily Independent throughout his time at INI.

Education: University of New Mexico, bachelor of arts in journalism and mass communication, print emphasis, English minor.

Random Fact: He and his siblings witnessed a Space Shuttle launch and landing in the same year in person, on opposite coasts.

Hobbies: Karaoke, bicycling and American Sign Language.

Community: He supports animal shelters.