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2002 Nike Athletes of the Yearthe dominant high school track and field athletes Chelsea Johnson2002, Atascadero CA |
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Daughter of an Olympic medal winner and noted coach (Jan Johnson), Chelsea Johnson was a logical pick to be a trail blazer in the new HS event of girls pole vault. She nevertheless stuck with soccer, volleyball, and hurdles until her senior year. Decision time came when she sat with her dad at the California State Meet her junior year and watched his pupil Shayla Ballentine raise the national record to 13-8. "I can do that," Chelsea said. Her first big win was at Arcadia in April, clearing 12-6. After that, she lived above 13 feet all year, owning the five best marks of the season while winning the Mt. SAC Relays, California State Meet and the Golden West, and signing a letter of intent with UCLA. She tried mightily to take down Ballentine's record, but had to settle twice for 13-6, the 2nd best all time.
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