Carol Johnston

Carol Johnston (March 10, 1958 - May 11, 2019) was a Canadian competitive gymnast, born without a right arm below her elbow. Despite her disability, Johnston became a collegiate gymnastics champion and was featured in Disney's 1980 TV film "Lefty".

Early life Carol Johnston was born on March 10, 1958, in Calgary, Alberta. At first, she planned on going into figure skating. She began gymnastics to strengthen her legs for figure skating, but then she fell in love with the sport and started training at the Altadore Gymnastics Club in Calgary at age 12. During a visit to Canada in 1976, gymnastics coach Lynn Rogers was introduced to Johnston and offered her a spot on the gymnastics squad at California State University, Fullerton, which she accepted.

Competitions In 1975, Johnston performed in the Canada Winter Games, and the following year she competed at the Junior Olympics in Montreal and at the Hawaii Invitationals. In the first three seasons in which she competed for the Titans, the Cal State Fullerton gymnastics squad compiled a record of 45–0 in meets.

In 1992, Johnston was given the Outstanding Achievement Award by the Orange County Committee for Employment of Persons with Disabilities. With support of her husband, Scott D. Koniar, and friends, she tried to have a life as normal as possible.

In media In 1979, a documentary short on Johnston was made by Disney, entitled The Truly Exceptional: Carol Johnston that was shown in schools; this was one in the series of The Truly Exceptional by Walt Disney Educational short films, aiming to show how people live with disabilities. That short was later made into an expanded version that first aired on 21st September 1980 on NBC's Disney's Wonderful World, as the TV movie "Lefty". Johnston was initially reluctant to be filmed, but she changed her mind after speaking with Rogers.