March 1, 2016
By Kane Grimster
At the Don Kirby Invitational senior Shawn Johnson smashed his personal-best in the triple jump by more than foot to win the competition. Johnson continued his strong performances by finishing second at the SEC Indoor Championships in the triple jump and high jump. The 16 team points scored by Johnson at SEC Indoors is the most by an Auburn athlete at the conference indoor meet since 2011. His hop, step and jump ranks him fifth in the nation heading into the NCAA Indoor Championships, March 11-12 in Birmingham. He's second in Auburn school-history behind 2008 Olympic bronze medalist Leevan Sands in the TJ.
You set a huge personal record in the triple jump at Don Kirby Invitational on your last jump of the competition, what was going through your head before that jump?
"I was thinking, 'Man, I know the guys in this competition are really good but I know I can do better.' Each jump I kept getting called for my shirt not being tucked in, and it would touch the sand literally four to five inches behind me, so I just tucked in my jersey and gave it my all."
You're an extremely versatile jumper with your ability to compete in the long, triple and high jump. Was that something that came about naturally?
"When I was in middle school I started off in long jump and then I saw my friends having a really fun time at high jump, so I was like, 'You know what why don't I try that,' and it turns out I was better than them. When I got to high school my coach said, 'you've got long legs why don't you triple jump,' and then I slowly started progressing in all three."
Of the three which do you most enjoy?
"The triple jump because it's intense. I'm more of a timid person but when I'm on the runway I feel like I'm ready to explode."
How did you get started in track and field?
"I played basketball in middle school so I only started track to get some conditioning in for that. I grew up playing baseball and then did football too in high school. Funnily enough I remember telling my friends what I didn't want to go to college for track and field but thought any opportunity for an education was too good to turn down."
You attended South Plain College, a junior college in Texas, for your first two years. What was that move like?
"South Plains was very interesting, it had a lot of diverse people there. My coach Blaine Wiley was an amazing guy, I still talk to him now and he's a father figure to me. What caught my eye the most about South Plains was that it was really small. The dorms were tight, the beds were right next to each other with a small walk in space in between, but I still made a lot of lifelong friends and memories there."
After your two years at South Plains College what made you want what to come to Auburn University?
"I really liked Coach Ghioroaie because of his passion and intensity for the sport as well as his technical knowledge. I thought it would be cool to have a foreign coach because back then I was looking at all these other jumpers who were really good and they were foreigners so I thought I wanted to try this out. I also really liked Auburn's campus and the grass and vegetation around it."
What are your plans for after college?
"Before I started getting better at track I wanted to go back home and do the normal things like getting a job and eventually starting a family. If I keep improving I might be able to get the opportunity to go pro, but we'll wait and see."
In the small amount of free time you get how do you spend it?
"I'm a lazy person at heart so I like lying around, watching TV and if I'm not doing that I'll be hanging out with friends."
Thanks Shawn, and best of luck the remainder of 2016!