Purdue diving senior and 2016 Rio olympic Synchronized 10-meter Diving Silver medlaist Steele Johnson has reported that he underwent a another surgery in NYC last week. Johnson had returned to training in the Fall following a foot surgery after he had to sit out a big chunk of the 2017-2018 season due to a stress fracture in his right foot. Here is our reporting on his return to training earlier this season.
Johnson posted this tweet concerning why he was in NYC:
Hi world. A lot of you have asked why I’m in NYC. Well, I’m here because I needed surgery. The surgery is done and I’m doing well. I’ll give more of an update in the future, but not yet. Pray for healing!
— Steele Johnson (@Steele_Johnson) February 7, 2019
He then posted this video of him leaving the hospital a couple days later. Though Johnson has not yet provided details on the surgery, the fact that he has a cast on his right foot in the video indicates that either the first surgery was unsuccessful, or he re-injured his foot.
Guess who’s going home today 🙌🏻🙌🏻 pic.twitter.com/nN31TraCL8
— Steele Johnson (@Steele_Johnson) February 8, 2019
Johnson scored 44 of Purdue’s 54 points at last year’s NCAAs, and was poised to be just as good this year on a Purdue squad that might be the most high-level NCAA men’s diving squad ever. Purdue has been ranked between 16th and 17th in our Men’s Power Rankings throughout this season, but the loss of Johnson is a huge blow to their scoring ability.