HUNGER TO WIN

Roberson eyes title after finishing third in 300 hurdles at 2023 state meet

Cayden Roberson finished third in the 300-meter hurdles final of the 2023 CIF State Track and Field Championships. He did it in a personal-best time of 37.437 seconds. Despite the fact he had only learned, trained and competed in hurdle events for five months prior, it could be seen as a great achievement.

Holding his own in a championship race against the best high school hurdlers California had to offer, Roberson’s performance, while memorable, still could have had a much better outcome for a few reasons. Long Beach Jordan’s Darryll Stevens and runner-up Devin Paton of Monrovia edged Roberson in a threeway photo finish. Stevens won, clocked at 37.432, and Paton was next at 37.435.

“We all saw a lean, but the lean-in didn’t get him the win, even though it looked like he won it,” said Shonna Bernard-joseph, Roosevelt High’s track and field head coach about Roberson. “Instead, he got third. I think if he’d have gotten out quicker to start, he’d have won the race.”

The heartbreaking result could have been damaging for Roberson, but he took it in stride. And, after all, there is a silver lining.

Stevens and Paton graduated and moved on, leaving Roberson and fourth-place finisher, San Diego Cathedral Catholic’s Vincent Atilano (37.73) as the top two returners from that State meet race of nine.

Roberson now has a high-pressure experience to grow from and he’s got more time to absorb and sharpen his skills in the 110 and 300 hurdles with expert coaching from Bernard-joseph, herself a 1992 CIF State 300 hurdles finalist while attending Nogales High in La Puente. She’s coached numerous State hurdles finalists at Roosevelt, including her daughter, Breanna, a 300 hurdles state champion in 2018. Her son, Andre, reached the state 300 hurdles prelims in 2015.

Roberson’s third-place finish speaks volumes to his talent and ability to quickly pick up what his coaches asked of him is crucial. To build on it with more practice time and competition-filled meets such as the Mt. SAC Relays and Arcadia Invitational, there’s certainly reason to believe another trip to Clovis Buchanan’s Veteran Memorial Stadium to vie for a state title is possible.

“It felt really good to be there after only a

TRACK

PHOTOS BY TERRY PIERSON — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Roosevelt senior standout Cayden Roberson was only five months into being a hurdler when he took third in the 2023state meet at 300meters.

Roberson says he was only trying out the hurdles last year, but after doing so well at the state meet he is “driven to win” it all this year.