Three times Aberdeen senior Sage Rowlan had run the 100-meter hurdles at state.

Three times Rowlan had qualified for the finals.

And three times Rowlan had watched from behind as another runner hit the finish line first.

Silver plus silver plus silver equals silver.

On May 16 at Middleton High School, Rowlan gave those three silvers a new friend in her trophy case — Mr. Gold.

Rowlan punctuated her prep track and field career with a personal record in the 100 hurdles, powering through the finish in 14.34 seconds.

“Since my freshman year the 100 hurdles was always my favorite event, which is weird because I’m not exactly the tallest hurdler,” Rowlan said with a laugh. “From my freshman to my junior year I got second. Then this year I approached it differently.”

Rather than focus on any individual runner or the starting gun or really anything at all, she spent this season zeroed in on what Sage Rowlan was doing, and only what Sage Rowlan was doing.

“I was just imagining myself going over the hurdles and not paying attention to anything or anyone else,” she said.

Rowlan was consistently the shortest hurdler in most of her races during her four years at Aberdeen, which means she had to look at the race differently than the 5-foot-10 runners. Her smaller stature was just another challenge to overcome, which she did in spades.

“I just focused on getting my 3-step down and trying to perfect that,” she said. “I knew I had a lot to work on, and I feel like that put me in a better position.”

Rowlan’s 14.34 was the fastest time in classification history, but was disallowed as the official record due to wind. No bother, Aberdeen track and field coach Jared Reed said. Best is best, and gold is gold.

“Sage deserved that win because she has only been 3-stepping the hurdles since last year,” Reed said. “She worked on training her speed year-round to get here. She’s a great kid and one of the hardest workers I’ve ever coached.”

Rowlan also placed third in the 100 (12.41) and helped teammates Kamilah Resindez, Rylynn Miera and Evelyn Carrillo place second in the 4x100 relay (51.15).

It was a redemption story for the ages. A victory of the human spirit. A tale of adversity overcome on the biggest stage under the brightest lights.

And in the spirit of a true Shakespearean tragedy, Sage Rowlan’s story took an unexpected and difficult turn later that same Saturday in Middleton.

After finishing second in the 300 hurdles prelims on Friday, Rowlan was a strong candidate to sweep the 3A hurdles events. She clipped the fifth hurdle, however, and was knocked unconscious.

Sage Rowlan, gold medalist and star of the Aberdeen girls track and field team, lay unconscious on the track for several minutes. Rowlan was taken from the facility by ambulance and ended up in the hospital with a severe concussion.

She was unable to do much of anything for two weeks afterward.

“I remember most of the beginning of the race, but after it happened I don’t really remember anything,” she said. “I feel like I’m recovering, so that’s good. I’m almost back.”

Rowlan and the rest of the Aberdeen seniors will graduate this week, and she is there for all of it. Her story of redemption in her final trip to the stage will endure.

The long, strange journey is over. And Sage Rowlan, gold medalist and star of the Aberdeen girls track and field team, stands tall and unbroken.

And you know what? She knows something about herself. Something good.

“I feel like I got to know and really like myself,” she said. “That once I set my mind to something, I finish it. I find a way.”