Mia Barnett won’t let a few hurdles get in her way.

After a promising 2024 track season curtailed by injury, the Chippewa Valley hurdler is back, perhaps better than ever and mindful of what it takes to rank with the best.

“I’m doing all the training, all the (physical therapy) and all the after-care that I can,” the senior said after winning the 100-meter high hurdles at the Macomb Area Conference Red Division meet at Dakota on Tuesday.

A state Division 1 finals qualifier as a freshman and sophomore, Barnett seemed primed for a big finish last year, but a pinched nerve in her spine ended those hopes.

She was cleared to compete on the day of Chippewa Valley’s 2024 regional, and she did qualify for the state meet, but her finals time of 15.60 seconds wasn’t quite as fast as the 15.56 she posted the year before.

“I took a month off after states,” Barnett said.

She spent the summer running in AAU and Junior Olympics meets and followed that with what turned out to be a productive indoor season.

“The indoor season was great, probably my healthiest,” Barnett said. “It was definitely a confidence booster.”

Barnett started fast this outdoor season, posting a career-best and school-record 14.10 at the Oak Park Spring Classic on April 12.

That gave her a berth in the state meet thanks to the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s new early qualifying procedure.

Barnett finished the Red race in a meet-record 14.50 seconds. That, too, met the EQ standard of 15.0 and marked the eighth time in nine tries that she finished under 15 this season.

“It’s been an excellent year so far,” Barnett said.

The state meet is at East Kentwood on May 31.

“I would like to be all-state (top eight),” Barnett said. “It would be great to win states.

“I would also like to break into the 13s.”

Barnett will have multiple opportunities to do that if she chooses.

Chippewa Valley was assigned to the Romeo regional that will be May 16. The Macomb County Invitational is at Fraser on May 21.

“A lot of it is mental,” Barnett said when asked how she can shave time off her finishes.

“I tend to get a little bit distracted during my races,” she said. “I need to believe in myself.”

Barnett won the 200 dash in a personal-best 26.02 at the Red meet. The injury compelled her to give up competing in the 300 hurdles and long jump.

Her mark of 18 feet, 1 inch is the second-longest jump in school history, and as a freshman she set the 300 hurdles record of 47.42 that still stands.

Barnett will enter Grand Valley State in the fall looking to focus on the 100 hurdles.

“That’s really exciting,” she said. “In August, that’s where I’ll be.”