CJ Janu competes in the 300-meter hurdles, finishing in second place behind all-time record setter Rilwan Alowonle of Park of Cottage Grove. Janu of Spring Lake Park/St. Anthony also competed in the 110-meter hurdles and finished third. Photo by Bill Jones

His top finish was in the 300 meter hurdles, where he finished second in 37.94 seconds.

It was a personal record by 0.20 seconds.

“That was my goal to take silver,” Janu said. “It was everything I wanted to be. I finally broke 38 seconds.”

He was chasing Rilwan Alowonle from Park of Cottage Grove, who broke the state record running in 36.59. Janu said Alowonle’s performance inspired him to run even faster.

“That’s what did it,” Janu said. “Without him there I don’t know if I could have done that.”

In the 110 meter high hurdles Janu placed third about a half-second behind Alowonle.

“I’m perfectly fine with that since I’m a junior,” Janu said.

He was one of two underclassmen in the top nine.

Janu also ran the 4×200 meter relay for Spring Lake Park, which didn’t go as planned. After coming in third in the preliminary round, a poor handoff in the finals added a few seconds sliding the boys to eighth.

“It was pretty disappointing,” Janu said. “I felt bad for the guys that just made it in that event, but it’s still something to be all state.”

Teammate Bryant Lymburn finished 14th in the pole vault. The boys’ team finished 15th overall.