BRIAN JOHNSON
Events: Long jump
Height: 6-5
Weight: 200
PR: 8.33m/27-4 (2005)
Born: March 5, 1980
Current Residence: Baton Rouge, La.
High School: Iowa HS (La) '97
Colleges: Southern University (La) '02
Coach: Johnny Thomas
Agent: Daniel Escamilla
Club: Nike
Career Highlights: 2006 USA Outdoor Champion; Two-time USA Indoor champion (’05, ’06); 2008 Olympic Trials & 2009 USA Outdoor Champs runner-up; 2003 NCAA Indoor Champion
Johnson qualified for his
first Olympic Team with his runner-up finish at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials,
where he posted his best jump of the year. His 2007 season was highlighted by
wins at Baton Rouge and Rethymno, where he had his best mark of the season of
8.31meters/27-3.25. Johnson enjoyed a banner season in 2006, highlighted by
victories at the AT&T USA Indoor and Outdoor Championships, and ending the
season ranked #3 in the U.S. by Track & Field News. Three years after
suffering a devastating knee injury, the former Southern University All American
became a world class long jumper when he captured the 2005 USA Indoor title,
later that summer Johnson placed third at the USA Outdoor Championships with a
leap of 8.09m26-6.5. That effort qualified him for a spot on the Team USA roster
for the 2005 World Outdoor Championships in Helsinki, where he barely missed
qualifying for the final. Injured in April 2003, Johnson suffered two torn
ligaments in his knee…Prior to his injury Johnson was the 2003 NCAA Indoor
champion 8.28m/27-2. With the victory, Johnson joined former Southern standouts
Theron Lewis and Rod Milburn as the only Jaguars to win titles in the 39-year
history of the NCAA indoor meet...Johnson’s championship jump was, at that time,
the nation’s leading performance and the third longest jump in the world, 27
feet. He later won the Black College National Championships in Bethesda, Md.,
and won the Texas Relays long jump with a leap of 26 feet, 5
inches…Unfortunately, on that winning jump he injured his knee and was out for
the rest of the year. A political science major at Southern University…married
to Pamela, they have a son, Kobe.
2009:
Runner-up at USA Outdoors
(8.26m/27-1.25)...2nd at Bair Mahault (8.28m/27-2)
2008:
22nd in qualifying at Olympic Games (7.79m/25-6.75)…2nd at Olympic
Trials (8.30m/27-02.75)…5th at Bislett Games Oslo (8.12)…ranked #2 in
U.S. by T&FN…best of 8.30m/27-2.75.
2007:
5th at US Outdoor Championships
(8.11m/26-7.25)…2nd at USA Indoors (8.03m/26-4.25)…2nd at
Rethymno (8.31m/27-3.25)…3rd at Nike Prefontaine Classic
(8.11m/26-7.25)…ranked
#6 in world, #2 U.S. by T&FN…best of 8.31m/ 27-3.25...best
of 8.31m/ 27-3.25.
2006:
USA Outdoor Champion (8.10m/26-7)…USA Indoor
champion (7.95m/26-1)…1st at Xalapa (8.24m/27-0.5)…4th at
Nike Prefontaine Classic (7.89m/25-10.75)…11th at Meeting Gaz de
France Paris Saint-Denis (7.64m/25-0.75)…12th at Golden Gala
(7.28m/23-10.75)…ranked #3 in U.S. by T&FN…best of 8.24m/27-0.5.
2005: 1st at USA Indoor Champs (7.89m/25-10.75)...3rd at USA Outdoor
Champs (8.08m/26-6.5)...10th in Group B qualifying at World Outdoor Champs
(7.91m/25-11.5)...1st at Payton Jordan U.S. Open (8.17m/26-9.75)...1st
at Bad Langensalza (8.33m/27-4)...ranked #9 in world (#3 U.S.) by T&FN...best of
8.33m/27-4.
2004: 4th at 2004 USA Indoor Champs (7.51m/24-7.75).
2003: Injured in April-did not compete for the rest of the season...NCAA
Indoor Champion (8.28m/27-2).
2002: 3rd at NCAA Outdoor Champs (7.96m/26-1.5).
2001: 3rd at NCAA Outdoor Champs (8.06m/26-5.5).
2000: 19th at NCAA Champs (6.27m/20-07).
6/24/09