Year: 2019
Award: Highland Games, Masters
Location/Affiliation: Englewood
- 2-time Highland Games World Masters Champion, 55-59 Age Group
- Masters Champion Pikes Peak Celtic Festival
Ever heard of the Highland Games? Probably not. It’s a series of grueling athletic competitions that originated in Scotland in the 11th century and unfamiliar to most of us.
But, grueling is what Englewood’s masters athlete Cindy “CJ” Johnson excels at, and the way she did it in 2019 was both spirited and inspirational. By then, CJ had risen to the top of her Highland Games 55-59 age group while also battling ongoing health issues and injuries.
She showed her grit and determination at the Highland Games Masters World Championships. During the first day of the competition, CJ “bombed out” by scratching on all three of her throws during one of the weight events. She came back on day two and won her second consecutive World Championship. CJ also won two other major masters competitions that season—the Pikes Peak Celtic Festival as well as at the Scotfest in Oklahoma.
Around her sport, CJ Johnson is well-respected and admired. Her colleagues in the Rocky Mountain Scottish Athletes say, “CJ looks out for us, pushes us all, and makes us all laugh.”