Chelsea Johnson ready to soar toward Beijing

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http://www.ksby.com/Global/story.asp?S=8613424

Atascadero native ready to soar toward Beijing


Atascadero native Chelsea Johnson is ready to live out her Olympic dream.

The women's pole vault competition takes off Thursday at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials.

On Wednesday, just one day before before jumping in the biggest meet of her life Chelsea Johnson was just ten weeks removed from a fractured wrist. But despite the untimely injury, Johnson has set two personal records in the last month.

" I couldn't ask to be in a better place right now. I seem to be peaking at just the right time and this is exactly how I wanted to be feeling coming into it having jumped 15 feet three or four times," Johnson told Action Sports.

Four years ago Chelsea went to her first Olympic Trials with no expectations and came away as an Olympic alternate. Now she knows exactly what to expect this time around.

" I'm so glad that I have that under my belt going into this just because it's such a pressure situation. I remember the '04 Trials like it was yesterday so I'm prepared for how intense it's going to be," said Johnson about her prior experience at the trials.

As Chelsea takes her shot at Olympic glory she will have history and her father on her side. It was the same venue in Eugene, Oregon in 1972 that her father Jan, who also serves as her coach, qualified for the 1972 Olympics where he won the bronze medal.

" As a parent for your child to be following in his footsteps, I'm sure it means a lot. It would be really cool and i know it would make my parents proud," Johnson said about carrying on the family tradition.

If Chelsea makes it through Thursday's prelims, she will jump in the finals on Sunday.

Nipomo native Kara June as well as Cal Poly's Sharon Day and Aris Borjas will also compete at the trials in the coming days.

As of Wednesday, at least nine athletes with Central Coast ties had qualified for the U.S. Olympic team.