Kortnei Johnson

Kortnei LeAnn Johnson (born August 11, 1997) is an American sprinter. Running for the LSU Lady Tigers track and field program, she won two NCAA Division I Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships relay titles and set the world under-23 record in the 4 × 100 metres relay in 2018. She represented the United States at the 2023 Pan American Games.

Career
Johnson is from Italy, Texas, United States. She attended Italy High School, where she was a seven-time University Interscholastic League Texas state high school champion in track and field. As Italy High School did not have a running track, she had to train on grass and concrete. She was described as the most successful athlete in Italy HS history, and when she graduated a parade was held in her honor. She was then recruited for the LSU Lady Tigers track and field team; when the LSU coach Dennis Shaver visited Johnson's school, he was surprised by the lack of training facilities. Joining in 2015, she qualified for the 2016 NCAA DI Outdoor Championships in the 100 m, 200 m, and 4 x 100 m in her first series of competition. Though she didn't advance to the finals in the 100 m or 200 m, she won her first national championship in the relay, setting a new Hayward Field record of 42.65 seconds.

Johnson would win her first individual NCAA medal at the 2018 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships, placing 3rd in the 200 metres. At that year's Southeastern Conference outdoor championships, Johnson set an NCAA record and world under-23 best in the 4 × 100 m relay. Running second leg with Mikiah Brisco, Rachel Misher, and Aleia Hobbs, her LSU team split 42.05 seconds. Later at the outdoor national championships, Johnson only contested the 4 × 100 m relay and won her second national title in that event. It was her final national title, as during her senior season's outdoor championships her 4 × 100 m team lost to the USC Trojans. Johnson competed at the 2019 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the 100 m, but she placed 6th in her semi-final and did not advance to the finals. In September of that year, she was selected as a member of one of the two U.S. 4 × 100 m teams at The Match Europe v USA. Running with Courtne Davis, Kiara Parker, and Kyra Jefferson, her team placed 2nd, losing only to the other U.S. team.

In 2021, Johnson ran a time of 22.40 seconds to finish runner-up in the 200 metres straight at the Adidas Boost Boston Games, making her the #4 performer of all time in that event. She also competed at the 2021 United States Olympic trials in the 100 m, failing to advance from the first round. Johnson again did not advance to the finals in the 100 m and 200 m at the 2022 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. In 2023, Johnson was selected to represent the U.S. at the 2023 Pan American Games in the 100 m and 4 × 100 m relay. She did not advance to the 100 m finals but her relay team did advance. In the finals, Johnson was substituted with Alaysha Johnson. The relay baton was dropped and the U.S. team had to jog to the finish in a time of 1:01.30.