Russ Takes Second Place at State Track Tournament

A fraction of a second is all that separated Simley High School junior Emma Russ from a first place finish in the state 300-meter hurdles competition at Hamline University this past weekend.

Russ, who qualified by finishing second in the Section 3AA meet earlier this year, ran the event in 44.77 seconds, just over three-tenths of a second behind Hopkins' Mariah Witt, who had a time of 44.34 seconds.

Russ was the only Simley athlete who competed for the girls in the 2011 Minnesota High School Track and Field State Championships.

Despite an ankle injury earlier in her career, Russ' commitment and dedication drove her to become a state qualifier, Simley girls track coach Thomas Fisher said. For more about Russ, .

Results

Girls 300-meter hurdles finals: 1, Mariah Witt, Hopkins, 44.34. 2, Emma Russ, Simley, 44.77. 3, Alyssa Parco, Farmington, 44.81. 4, Hannah Niewald, Fridley, 45.66. 5, Sophia Salmanpour, Roseville Ar, 45.93. 6, Shaina Burns, Lakeville So, 45.96. 7, Kirsten Whitney, Spring Lk Pk, 45.97. 8, Kadie Savage, Princeton, 46.80.