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<H1 ALIGN=CENTER><font color="#3333FF">Feature</FONT> </H1>

<H3 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT COLOR="#FF8000"><I>Olympic Sports
</I></FONT></H3>
<center>By Brian Miller</center><p>


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<img src=JhnsnN.jpg alt="Nerissa Johnson" align=right>
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In less than a month Nerissa Johnson will tune in to the opening ceremonies of the 2000 Olympic Games and think about her dream of one day carrying the Canadian flag into the stadium.<p>
A native of Comox, British Columbia, Johnson gave up that chance for Sydney back in 1998 by deciding to come to Auburn after a successful triathlon career. Johnson has very few regrets about deciding to come to Auburn.<p>
"My triathlon coach wanted me to take two years off from school to train and try for the Olympics," Johnson said. "But, when this opportunity came along to run in college I decided to go back to school. I knew the offer to go to school would not always be there, but triathlons will be. I do think about Greece in 2004."<p>
Twice Johnson won the Junior National Triathlons (1997 and 1998) and was named the Junior Triathlete of the Year from 1996 to 1998. Her last race was the 1998 World Triathlon Championships in Switzerland where she finished 24th. <p>
In the meantime, the Auburn junior has given up her triathlons and is contributing to the success of the Tigers cross country and track and field programs.<p>
Her chance at college came when Auburn offered Johnson a scholarship after a few phone calls by head cross country coach Layne Anderson. She signed a national letter of intent even before making a visit to campus or meeting any of the coaches.<p>
"I had never thought about going to school in America, no one from my family had even done that," she said. "I was offered a chance to come here and have school paid for and I just took it because I didn't know how many offers I would get."
Johnson is happy with her choice, although it took her a little while to get used to the heat and humidity.<p>
"I actually like to run in the heat better than the cold," Johnson said. "I think I have gotten to the point where I perform better in the heat now. My first year it was very tough."<p>
In her first year on the Plains, Johnson finished in the top 30 of all but two cross country meets and ran to a fifth-place finish at the Troy State Invitational. She then placed seventh at the Indoor Southeastern Conference track and field championships in the 3,000 meter race. <p>
"She really made a big breakthrough in the outdoor track season as a freshman," Anderson said. "She set two freshman school records and came into her own."
Johnson ran a 16:57.71 in the 5,000-meter race to set one freshman mark and ran a 36:12.59 in the 10,000-meter race to set the other. She currently ranks fifth on Auburn's all-time list in the 5,000m and fourth in the 10,000m.<p>
Johnson's determination was never more evident than her performance at the 1999 Penn Relay Carnival in Philadelphia as a freshman in the 10,000 meters. Johnson cried out in pain halfway through the race, but went on to finish 17th and set the school's freshman record. It was later found out that she had broken her toe during the race.<p>
"When I first asked her is she was all right," Anderson said, "She just kind of shook her head ÔI'll be all right' and kept on going."<p>
Johnson's fractured toe would end her season and would force her to miss the 1999 cross country season, but she is ready to come back in 2000.<p>
"I had a good summer of training," she said. "I'm excited and I think this season will be really competitive within the team."<p>
Johnson first found her excitement to compete when she was a young girl. At the age of seven she began to follow her older sister Sheena to the pool to go swimming and began to swim competitively at that point. <p>
"I would just follow what ever she (Sheena) did," Johnson chuckled. "I started to enjoy the competitions and the triathlons and really got into it."<p>
Johnson also owes a lot of her success to her father Adrian Johnson. "My dad got me into running," Johnson said. "He is very athletic and I just got involved."<p>
Thanks to both her father and sister, she grew into one of best junior triathletes in Canada and the world.<p>
And after her collegiate career is concluded at Auburn, quite possibly Johnson may very well fulfill her dreams of representing her country in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece.


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	<H1 ALIGN=CENTER><font color="#3333FF">Feature</FONT> </H1>

	<H3 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT COLOR="#FF8000"><I>Olympic Sports
	</I></FONT></H3>
	<center>By Brian Miller</center><p>


	<TABLE width=95% cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0><TR><TD>


	<TABLE width=25% cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 align=right><TR><TD>
	<img src=JhnsnN.jpg alt="Nerissa Johnson" align=right>
	<tr><td valign="top">
	<B><FONT SIZE=2><P ALIGN="CENTER"><BR></B></FONT></p>
	</td>
	</tr></td></tr>
	</TABLE>

	<p>

	In less than a month Nerissa Johnson will tune in to the opening ceremonies of the 2000 Olympic Games and think about her dream of one day carrying the Canadian flag into the stadium.<p>
	A native of Comox, British Columbia, Johnson gave up that chance for Sydney back in 1998 by deciding to come to Auburn after a successful triathlon career. Johnson has very few regrets about deciding to come to Auburn.<p>
	"My triathlon coach wanted me to take two years off from school to train and try for the Olympics," Johnson said. "But, when this opportunity came along to run in college I decided to go back to school. I knew the offer to go to school would not always be there, but triathlons will be. I do think about Greece in 2004."<p>
	Twice Johnson won the Junior National Triathlons (1997 and 1998) and was named the Junior Triathlete of the Year from 1996 to 1998. Her last race was the 1998 World Triathlon Championships in Switzerland where she finished 24th. <p>
	In the meantime, the Auburn junior has given up her triathlons and is contributing to the success of the Tigers cross country and track and field programs.<p>
	Her chance at college came when Auburn offered Johnson a scholarship after a few phone calls by head cross country coach Layne Anderson. She signed a national letter of intent even before making a visit to campus or meeting any of the coaches.<p>
	"I had never thought about going to school in America, no one from my family had even done that," she said. "I was offered a chance to come here and have school paid for and I just took it because I didn't know how many offers I would get."
	Johnson is happy with her choice, although it took her a little while to get used to the heat and humidity.<p>
	"I actually like to run in the heat better than the cold," Johnson said. "I think I have gotten to the point where I perform better in the heat now. My first year it was very tough."<p>
	In her first year on the Plains, Johnson finished in the top 30 of all but two cross country meets and ran to a fifth-place finish at the Troy State Invitational. She then placed seventh at the Indoor Southeastern Conference track and field championships in the 3,000 meter race. <p>
	"She really made a big breakthrough in the outdoor track season as a freshman," Anderson said. "She set two freshman school records and came into her own."
	Johnson ran a 16:57.71 in the 5,000-meter race to set one freshman mark and ran a 36:12.59 in the 10,000-meter race to set the other. She currently ranks fifth on Auburn's all-time list in the 5,000m and fourth in the 10,000m.<p>
	Johnson's determination was never more evident than her performance at the 1999 Penn Relay Carnival in Philadelphia as a freshman in the 10,000 meters. Johnson cried out in pain halfway through the race, but went on to finish 17th and set the school's freshman record. It was later found out that she had broken her toe during the race.<p>
	"When I first asked her is she was all right," Anderson said, "She just kind of shook her head ÔI'll be all right' and kept on going."<p>
	Johnson's fractured toe would end her season and would force her to miss the 1999 cross country season, but she is ready to come back in 2000.<p>
	"I had a good summer of training," she said. "I'm excited and I think this season will be really competitive within the team."<p>
	Johnson first found her excitement to compete when she was a young girl. At the age of seven she began to follow her older sister Sheena to the pool to go swimming and began to swim competitively at that point. <p>
	"I would just follow what ever she (Sheena) did," Johnson chuckled. "I started to enjoy the competitions and the triathlons and really got into it."<p>
	Johnson also owes a lot of her success to her father Adrian Johnson. "My dad got me into running," Johnson said. "He is very athletic and I just got involved."<p>
	Thanks to both her father and sister, she grew into one of best junior triathletes in Canada and the world.<p>
	And after her collegiate career is concluded at Auburn, quite possibly Johnson may very well fulfill her dreams of representing her country in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece.


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	<P ALIGN=CENTER><I>© 1999 Auburn Network, Inc.</I></P>

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