Kortnei_Johnson
Kortnei Johnson
American sprinter (born 1997)
Kortnei LeAnn Johnson (born 11 August 1997) is an American sprinter. Running for the LSU Lady Tigers track and field program, she won two NCAA Division I Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships relay titles and set the world under-23 record in the 4 × 100 metres relay in 2018. She represented the United States at the 2023 Pan American Games.
Johnson at the 2018 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Kortnei LeAnn Johnson[1] |
| Nationality |  United States |
| Born | 11 August 1997 (26 years, 286 days old)[2] |
| Home town | Italy, Texas[1] |
| Education | |
| Height | 165 cm (5 ft 5 in)[2] |
| Weight | 52 kg (115 lb)[2] |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Sport of athletics |
| Event(s) | 100 metres 200 metres |
| College team | |
| Coached by | Bobby Campbell[3] Dennis Shaver[4] |
| Achievements and titles | |
| National finals |
|
| Personal bests | |
| Updated on 4 May 2024 | |
At Italy High School, Johnson was a seven-time University Interscholastic League Texas state high school champion in track and field.[1] As Italy High School did not have a running track, she had to train on grass and cement.[4][5] She was described as the most successful athlete in Italy HS history, and when she graduated a parade was held in her honor.[3]
In 2015, she joined the LSU Lady Tigers track and field team. In her first season of competition, she qualified for the 2016 NCAA DI Outdoor Championships in the 100 m, 200 m, and 4 x 100 m. Though she didn't advance to the finals in the 100 m or 200 m, she won her first national championship in the relay, setting a new Hayward Field record of 42.65 seconds.[6][2]
Johnson would win her first individual NCAA medal at the 2018 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships, placing 3rd in the 200 metres.[7] At that year's Southeastern Conference outdoor championships, Johnson set an NCAA record and world under-23 best in the 4 × 100 m relay. Running second leg with Mikiah Brisco, Rachel Misher, and Aleia Hobbs, her LSU team split 42.05 seconds. Hobbs said after the race, "The crazy thing about that time was that our passes weren't even that great. To know that we ran the fastest time in collegiate history without firing on all cylinders is very cool."[8] Later at the outdoor national championships, Johnson only contested the 4 × 100 m relay and won her second national title in that event.[2] It was her final national title, as during her senior season's outdoor championships her 4 × 100 m team lost to the USC Trojans.[2]
Johnson competed at the 2019 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the 100 m, but she placed 6th in her semi-final and did not advance to the finals. In September of that year, she was selected as a member of one of the two U.S. 4 × 100 m teams at The Match Europe v USA. Running with Courtne Davis, Kiara Parker, and Kyra Jefferson, her team placed 2nd, losing only to the other U.S. team.[2]
In 2021, Johnson ran a time of 22.40 seconds to finish runner-up in the 200 metres straight at the Adidas Boost Boston Games, making her the #4 performer of all time in that event.[9] She also competed at the 2021 United States Olympic trials in the 100 m, failing to advance from the first round.[2] Johnson again did not advance to the finals in the 100 m and 200 m at the 2022 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.[2]
In 2023, Johnson was selected to represent the U.S. at the 2023 Pan American Games in the 100 m and 4 × 100 m relay. She did not advance to the 100 m finals but her relay team did advance. In the finals, Johnson was substituted with Alaysha Johnson. The relay baton was dropped and the U.S. team had to jog to the finish in a time of 1:01.30.[10]
Johnson is from Italy, Texas where she attended Italy High School.[1] When the LSU coach Dennis Shaver visited Johnson's school, he was surprised by the lack of training facilities.[4]
Personal best progression
| # | Mark | Pl. | Competition | Venue | Date | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11.97 (±0.0 m/s) |  | University Interscholastic League 2A Championships | Austin, TX | 10 May 2012 | [11] |
| 2 | 11.82 (+1.5 m/s) | | Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays | Austin, TX | 29 Mar 2013 | [12] |
| 3 | 11.51 (+1.9 m/s) | | University Interscholastic League Championships | Austin, TX | 9 May 2014 | [13] |
| 4 | 11.36 (+0.8 m/s) |  | Texas Invitational | Austin, TX | 15 Apr 2016 | [14] |
| 5 | 11.29 (-0.2 m/s) |  | Conference Championships | Tuscaloosa, AL | 13 May 2016 | [15] |
| 6 | 11.27 (+1.6 m/s) | (Qualification 2) | NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round | Jacksonville, FL | 26 May 2016 | [16] |
| 7 | 11.13 (+1.9 m/s) | (Heat 1) | Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays | Austin, TX | 30 Mar 2017 | [17] |
| 8 | 11.09 (+0.7 m/s) | | Annual Mt. SAC Relays | Torrance, CA | 14 Apr 2017 | [18] |
| 9 | 11.05 (+0.9 m/s) | | PURE Athletics Sprint Elite Meet | Clermont, FL | 13 May 2023 | [19] |
| # | Mark | Pl. | Competition | Venue | Date | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 23.94 (+1.5 m/s) | | UIL State Track & Field Meet | Austin, TX | 10 May 2013 | [20] |
| 2 | 23.79 | (Round F) | Razorback Invitational | Fayetteville, AR | 28 Jan 2016 | [21] |
| 3 | 23.56A | (Round C) | Univ of New Mexico Collegiate Classic | Albuquerque, NM | 4 Feb 2016 | [22] |
| 4 | 23.43 | | Tyson Invitational | Fayetteville, AR | 12 Feb 2016 | [23] |
| 5 | 23.26 (±0.0 m/s) | | Miami Hurricane Twilight Invitational | Coral Gables, FL | 24 Mar 2016 | [24] |
| 6 | 22.78 (+1.9 m/s) | (Heat 3) | Conference Championships | Tuscaloosa, AL | 11 May 2016 | [25] |
| 7 | 22.61 (+0.9 m/s) | | Miami Hurricane Collegiate Invitational | Coral Gables, FL | 13 Apr 2018 | [26] |
| 8 | 22.56 (+0.5 m/s) | (Qualification 3) | NCAA East Preliminary Round | Tampa, FL | 25 May 2018 | [27] |
- "Kortnei Johnson". LSU. 8 July 2019. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
- Kortnei Johnson at Tilastopaja (registration required)
- "High school without a track produces track star". wfaa.com. 29 May 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
- Riggs, Randy. "No track, no problem for Class 2A Italy's Kortnei Johnson, now at LSU". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
- Track, Italy HS Posted Italy Gladiator (22 May 2015). "The Meet of Champions". Italy Neotribune. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
- Information, LSU Sports. "LSU women set record". The Courier. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
- Willson, Judy (10 March 2018). "LSU senior Aleia Hobbs win NCAA title in 60 meter dash". Crescent City Sports. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
- "The Best To Ever Do It". issuu. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
- "Women's 200m". www.alltime-athletics.com. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
- Perelman, Rich (3 November 2023). "TSX REPORT: U.S. cruises past 200 Pan Am medals; U.S. marathon trials race directors blame USATF; Kremlin blasts IOC for "double standard" on Israel". The Sports Examiner. Retrieved 7 May 2024.