Dave Johnson (athlete)

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David ("Dave") Allen Johnson (born April 7, 1963 in North Dakota) is a former decathlete from the United States, who grew up in Missoula, Montana. As a child he attended C. S. Porter Elementary School and later attended Sentinel and Big Sky high schools, graduating in 1981. Dave was involved in a series of petty thefts as a teenager, primarily stealing soda pop and beer from local distributers with an assortment of childhood friends until one of them was caught and informed on the rest. He later detailed his experiences to reporters prior to the Barcelona Olympic games and used the material for his book and speaking tour as an example on how to turn your life around.

During adolescence Johnson was afflicted with Osgood-Schlatter disease in both knees that kept him from participating in high school sports for the most part. During his junior high years he excelled in track, touch football and was on a Kiwanis basketball team for two years. In elementary school he played organized Little League baseball and had some familiarity with boxing.

Even as a child Johnson was exceptionally fit and coordinated and lifted weights from a young age. In college he started to compete in the decathlon - at 6'4", he put his innate abilities and his constant physical training to use and began setting records. After several years he was generally acknowledged as the best decathlete to date. At this time Dan O'Brien appeared on the scene and began to provide Dave with his first real competition. O'Brien and Johnson became good friends and consistently placed first and second in most events. O'Brien eventually began to be considered the best overall decathlete, but Johnson earned the recognition as the best ever at 2nd day events.

For the 1992 Summer Olympics games the team of "Dan & Dave" was promoted as the real competition in the games and the question of who would take first and who would come in second was widely debated. Dan failed to qualify for the team when he no-heighted on the pole vault, leaving Dave as the presumed gold medal winner. Unfortunately, Johnson experienced a stress fracture in his left foot on the first day of events. He put on a shoe two sizes larger, laced it up tight, and competed anyway and won the bronze medal. Johnson's endorsement career continued for at least another year after the Barcelona Olympic Games and included Oakley Sunglasses, Pert Shampoo, Ryder Trucks, and Reebok shoes among others.

Johnson later retired from competition and became an inspirational christian speaker. He also wrote the book "Aim High - An Olympic Decathlete's Inspiring Story" with Verne Becker. Johnson currently teaches special ed at West Albany High School in Albany, Oregon, also serving as a part time administrator and track coach.

[edit] Career statistics

• PR: 8727
• Broke American Record
  • 1989: 8549
• Olympic Bronze Medal, 1992
  • 8309
• Olympic 9th place finish, 1988
  • 8180
• U.S. National Champion
  • 1986: 8203w
  • 1989: 8549
  • 1990: 8600w
  • 1992: 8649
• World University Games Champion, 1989
  • 8216

[edit] References