Personal Information

Name Ava Johnston
Birthday December 5, 2004
Hometown Catharpin, Virginia
Parents John and Dawn Johnston
School Homeschooled
Graduation Year Class of 2023
GPA 4.1 GPA

Gym Information

Current Gym Bull Run Academy of Gymnastics (BRAG)
Current Coaches Mary Henry
Current Level Level 10 (2018-Current)
Choreographer Kristen Hudson
Floor Music Final Lifeline
Hours Trained 20 hours per week
Gym Goals JO Nationals and Division I College Scholarship

Ava took a tiny tots class at the age of four and gymnastics has been her passion ever since. Ava was quickly moved from recreation to pre-team and entered level 4 at the age of seven. When she was nine years old, she skipped level 6 and went to level 7 posting a 39.0 or higher all-around score in two meets that year plus a 39.425 AA at the Virginia State Championships. She was the 2016 Level 7 State All-Around, Uneven Bars and Floor Exercise Champion.

In 2017, Ava was the Level 8 State Vault, Uneven Bars and Floor Exercise Champion and Level 8 Regional All-Around, Vault and Balance Champion. In early 2018, Ava was encouraged to train for elite, but she decided that college gymnastics is her long-term goal and dream. She went on to be the 2018 Level 9 State All-Around, Vault, Uneven Bars and Floor Exercise Champion and 2018 Level 9 Regional Vault Silver Medalist. Ava was also named to America's Top 100 in every level she competed in (Levels 4-5, 7-9). ​ ​

Ava had a successful summer in 2018 preparing for her first year as a level 10 gymnast and working routines with a 10.0 start value on all four events. In late September 2018, a small benign mass in her foot required removal. This was not gymnastics related and there was no damage to bones, ligaments or tendons. While the incisions healed, Ava worked hard to stay in shape and was able to compete all-around four months later in January 2019. She is now 100% healthy and looking to continue her gymnastics career as a strong level 10 competitor and collegiate recruit. ​

Outside of gymnastics, Ava likes to do outdoor activities with her family. They are adventurous! She has been white-water rafting, learned to saddle and ride horses at a week on a dude ranch, learned to sail and they are always in the water. Ava's whole family is scuba certified and she has been able to dive with Caribbean reef sharks in the Bahamas and with giant whale sharks. She also has been to Mexico where she dove on a beautiful reef called "The Aquarium." They like to take long hikes in warm weather and snowboard and ski all winter near their mountain house in West Virginia. ​