ZACHARY'S TALAR JOHNSON COMPETES IN THE LSU LAST CHANCE QUALIFIER IN 2025
When Zachary's Talar Johnson made her decision on where to continue her career, she didn't have to worry about making a phone call to the head coach. Her new head coach lives under the same roof. Johnson is continuing her career at Louisiana Tech where her father, Brian, is the head track and field coach.
With that decision behind her, Johnson is focused is on ending her senior year where it is beginning--at the top of the rankings. She goes into the 2026 Louisiana high school indoor season as the fastest sprinter in the state.
As nice as the designation of "Louisiana's fastest returner" is, there is one thing missing on her resume--a state championship. Her highest finish came as a freshman in 2023 when was the LHSAA 5A runner-up with a time of 11.98.
Last year, Johnson finished third at the LHSAA State Indoor Meet in the D1 60m (7.67), where her fastest time of the day (7.60) came in the prelims.
That time in the prelims puts Johnson at the No. 49 returner in the US for the event, and at No. 10 on the Louisiana list of nationally ranked athletes heading into the 2026 indoor season.
