Kiya Johnson describes emotions of battling back from injury to win national championship

LSU gymnast Kiya Johnson never stopped believing in her goal to become a national champion, no matter how many obstacles got in her way. After tearing her left Achilles in high school, Johnson fought back to join the Tigers in 2020.

She immediately became one of the most integral parts of the team, earning SEC Freshman of the Year honors. Johnson continued to shine the following season to take home the SEC Specialist of the Year. It all seemed to be going according to plan as she entered her senior season before she suffered an injury to her right Achilles in January of 2023.

Johnson made a promise to herself that she wouldn’t let this stop her. She’d already come back from one Achilles injury and she was determined to make through this one as well. After undergoing surgery and rehab, she returned ready to take on 2024.

Johnson’s dream came true Saturday as LSU won the national championship with a score of 198.225 to edge out Cal, Utah and Florida. She scored a 9.9125 to help the Tigers to victory, and described the emotions she felt following the win.

“It’s kind of hard to put into words right now because it all just happened, but truly throughout that process my teammates were there for me literally every single day,” Johnson explained. “So that kept me going. Then also envisioning this happening today. That was also a goal and a dream that I kept in the back of my mind. So for it to come to a head here is crazy. I can’t put it into words.”

Aleah Finnegan followed up with a 9.95 in the anchor to bring home the win for LSU. It marked the first ever national title for the women’s gymnastics team.

Johnson couldn’t contain her excitement upon seeing the final results.

“I think the only words I said for the first five minutes after Aleah landed was, ‘Oh my God, Oh my God,'” she told ESPN.

Now Kiya Johnson will end her career as one of the most decorated gymnasts in LSU history and with the honor of being a part of the first title in program history. It’s even more impressive considering what she faced to get here, and her determination in the face of what seemed an impossible mountain to overcome can serve as motivation for all.