Johnson qualifies for NCAA Championships
Shawn Johnson, a Canonsburg native and senior at Auburn University, qualified Saturday for the NCAA Track & Field Championships in the triple jump.
Johnson placed third in the event at the NCAA East Regional held at North Florida University in Jacksonville Fla. The former Canon-McMillan standout had a jump of 53-8¼ that qualified him for the NCAA Championships that will be held June 8-10 in Eugene, Ore.
South Florida senior Matthew O’Neal won the triple jump with a leap of 55-9¾.
Johnson also was entered in the high jump, which was held after the triple jump. He did not qualify in the high jump, missing three times at 6-8.
Johnson, who was an All-American last year, will be one of two Washington County natives competing in Eugene. Jessie Merckle, a senior at Wake Forest and a Hickory native, has qualified in the women’s javelin.